City Councilman Brad Lander (D-Brooklyn) wants to ban employers from running credit checks on job applicants, saying the checks make the application process unfair to those with poor credit.

The unemployment rate in Brooklyn is higher than 10 percent. Councilman Lander says a poor credit score can result from anything from medical expenses and student loans to low income, and that it isn't right to deny someone a job due to a score.

"If you can't get a job because you have debt and you can't pay your debt because you don't have a job, it's a real vicious catch-22," he said.

The Society for Human Resources Management says six out of 10 employers use credit checks for at least some of their open positions.