Dems say the practice is unfair and ineffective

• Elizabeth Warren and Steve Cohen reintroduce bill to prohibit employers from using credit reports in hiring

• Lawmakers say the practice is unfair, ineffective, and disproportionately harms minorities and women

• Nearly half of US employers rely on credit history despite no link to job performance

As the US labor market faces mounting strain, two senior Democrats in Washington are reviving efforts to block employers from screening job applicants based on their credit history. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Representative Steve Cohen of Tennessee reintroduced legislation today that would ban the use of credit checks in hiring.

The lawmakers argue that financial struggles should not be a barrier to employment. Nobody should be discriminated against and miss out on a job opportunity because of their financial history, Warren said in a statement. Cohen added that credit scores are an inaccurate way to predict future job performance or ability.

Bill would amend fair credit law

The proposal would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to forbid employers from requiring or even suggesting applicants disclose their credit history. It would also bar credit reporting agencies from providing consumer reports to employers, and prohibit hiring decisions based on such information.

Versions of the legislation have surfaced since the aftermath of the 200809 recession, when household debt surged. Supporters say the practice has persisted despite evidence showing no correlation between credit history and job performance.

Disproportionate impact on minorities and women

According to Warrens office, credit checks disproportionately disqualify people of color from job opportunities, while women are also more likely to suffer poor credit. Medical debt and periods of unemployment are the most common factors dragging down credit scores.

A 2012 survey by the think tank Demos found that one in 10 respondents reported being denied a job because of credit information. Nearly half of employers use credit reports in hiring, a 2023 Urban Institute report estimated.

Patchwork of state-level bans

Several states, including California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, have already moved to ban or restrict the use of credit checks in employment. New York City enacted its own ban in 2015, and lawmakers are now pushing for a statewide prohibition.

Supporters of the federal bill say national action is needed to ensure fairness across industries and regions. We should be making the job application process fairer so people can succeed with good jobs, not adding obstacles, Cohen said.

An expert shares practical tips for allergy sufferers

• While fall allergies present a number of disturbances, an expert shares the ways that it can also be detrimental to your sleep.

• Several factors can make your sleep worse during fall allergy season, including more post-nasal drip when laying down.

• There are small daily habits consumers can adopt to keep their symptoms at bay and get better sleep.

For those with seasonal allergies, the runny nose, itchy eyes, and general malaise can be a daily struggle.

But what about the ways that allergies affect your sleep?

Dr. Carleara Weiss, a Sleep Science Advisor at Aeroflow, spoke with ConsumerAffairs to discuss the ins and outs of combatting poor sleep during fall allergy season.

The link between allergies and sleep

So, how are the two related?

Fall allergies, often related to ragweed pollen, mold, and dust mites, can trigger histamine-induced inflammation, nasal congestion, and upper airway constriction, Dr. Weiss explained. These reactions increase breathing difficulties and the risk of snoring, negatively impacting sleep quality, making sleep more fragmented and less restorative.

She also said that people with preexisting sleep issues may have a harder time during fall allergy season.

People with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may experience more sleep problems when they have an allergy, she said. OSA is caused by upper airway blockage and difficulty breathing. Thus, the congestion caused by allergy makes it even more challenging to breathe and can worsen OSA symptoms.

In addition, people with insomnia often suffer from severe insomnia symptoms when experiencing allergies.

What makes sleep worse during fall allergy season?

Sleep isnt just worse for those with insomnia or sleep apnea. According to Dr. Weiss, there are a number of factors during fall allergy season that can make it more difficult to get restful sleep.

Heres a look at what could be contributing to poor sleep:

• Increased nighttime exposure to allergens, such as pollen and dust, can occur in the bedroom, particularly in areas like the carpet, curtains, bedding sheets, or mattress.

• Increased congestion and post-nasal drip when lying down to sleep at night.

• Increased histamine production at night is a natural part of the circadian rhythm. However, during allergy season, that translates into more histamine-induced inflammation and congestion at night.

• People with asthma may also have a stronger reaction to allergens at night, triggering wheezing, coughing.

Daily tips for better sleep

Hope isnt lost! Just because you have sleep struggles or fall allergies (or both), doesnt mean youre doomed to poor sleep.

Dr. Weiss shared a few daily habits that can ease symptoms and make for restful sleep:

• Keep windows closed to prevent outdoor allergens from getting into the sleep environment.

• Use a HEPA air filter in the heating and the AC system if your house has one. You can also get a portable HEPA air purifier for your room.

• Shower daily before going to bed and change your clothes before going to bed (avoid sleeping in the same clothes from the day).

• Keep your sleep environment clean dust and vacuum the room frequently.

• Wash bedding sheets frequently with a non-toxic, fragrance-free laundry detergent.

Once the allergy symptoms start, using saline for nasal rinse, keeping the head elevated during sleep, and using a humidifier in the room can be very helpful to ease the symptoms and promote better sleep, Dr. Weiss said.

The reason why could come as a surprise to consumers

• Supply chain and severe weather in parts of the world that distribute the most chocolate are the reason behind higher Halloween candy prices this year.

• Consumers can save money by opting for sugar-based candies for trick-or-treaters instead of chocolate-based candies.

• This trend is likely to continue through the holiday season, leading to higher costs of popular holiday favorites.

The price of just about everything has gone up in recent years.

The latest item on the list: Halloween candy.

John Lash, Group VP of Product Strategy of supply chain platform e2open, spoke to ConsumerAffairs about why Halloween candy is going to be pricer this year, as well as how consumers can still save money.

Why are prices going up?

Lash explained that the price hike can be attributed to weather and the supply chain.

In the past few years, extreme weather in West Africa has impacted cocoa harvests and shrunk the global supply, he explained.

Late last year, cocoa prices peaked at almost $13,000 per metric ton. While theyve recovered to the $7,000 levels of this time last year, long-term contracts mean that input costs for chocolate remain high. Looming on the horizon are more dark clouds, with threatened double-digit tariffs on US imports from cocoa-producing nations.

What products are the priciest?

Based on this, Lash explained that chocolate candies are likely to be the priciest this Halloween.

The biggest impact is on chocolate-based products, so financially-sensitive shoppers can lean towards sugar-based candies, like gummy bears and candy corn, he said.

To keep prices for Halloween candy more or less the same this year, expect to see some shrinkflation in individual candy size and the number of pieces in the bag. For homeowners, a bag may not go as far, so you might need to pick up one more. For parents of trick-or-treaters, smaller-sized pieces might actually be a welcome relief, with a bit less sugar overload for their little ones.

How to save money

Consumers can still have a festive Halloween celebration despite the price hikes! In addition to opting for sugar-based candies, Lash has some other recommendations for shoppers.

First, look for less expensive goodies to hand out to trick-or-treaters, he said. This way, you can stay true to the spirit of Halloween without feeling a pinch in the pocketbook.

Second, buy more local decorations and props, like picking up an extra pumpkin or two instead of imported goods. While that giant skeleton is fun, tariffs are a buzzkill on imports this year.

Expect this to run through the holidays

According to Lash, this trend isnt supposed to turn around any time soon. As consumers prepare for the holiday season, prices are likely to be higher than usual.

Concerns of weakening consumer confidence, persistent inflation, and the full impact of tariffs could lead to a more frugal holiday season, Lash said. Specific to sweets, input costs remain a headwind.

As mentioned, threatened tariffs on cocoa risk raising prices by double-digit percentage points. Despite strong harvests, the trade war will likely put upward pressure on sugar. It also means were in for higher costs across the board for the holidays. This applies to imported staples like coffee and seasonal favorites, such as cookies or cakes from Europe.

For context, roughly a quarter of sugar consumed in the US is imported, with half coming from Mexico, Canada, and Brazil. The effects of a 50% tariff rate on imports from Brazil have yet to trickle through the supply chain, and the future of tariff policy with Mexico and Canada remains unclear.

Microbial life could have existed on the planet, scientists say

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• NASAs Perseverance rover detects potential biosignatures in Jezero Crater sample

• Discovery published in Nature marks closest evidence yet of past microbial life on Mars

• Minerals linked to microbial processes on Earth found in riverbed rock

A rock sample collected by NASAs Perseverance rover from an ancient riverbed in Jezero Crater may contain the strongest evidence yet of past microbial life on Mars. The sample, called Sapphire Canyon, was drilled from a site dubbed Cheyava Falls in 2024 and analyzed by the rovers science instruments. But don't start planning townhouses and shopping malls just yet. "Life" covers a lot of territory and microbes are not likely to be renting apartments or applying for credit cards.

The findings, published Wednesday in Nature, describe chemical and mineral signatures that scientists say could be biosignatures possible fingerprints of ancient life. While not definitive proof, the discovery has been hailed as a landmark moment in Mars exploration.

This finding by Perseverance is the closest we have ever come to discovering life on Mars, said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. The identification of a potential biosignature on the Red Planet is a groundbreaking discovery, and one that will advance our understanding of Mars.

Signs written in the rocks

Cheyava Falls lies within the Bright Angel formation, a rocky stretch on the edges of Neretva Vallis, a dried-up river channel. Perseverances PIXL and SHERLOC instruments identified chemical spots on the rock rich in organic carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, and oxidized iron elements that could have powered microbial metabolisms.

High-resolution imaging revealed leopard spots, patterns formed by two iron-rich minerals: vivianite, common around decaying organic matter on Earth, and greigite, which can be produced by certain microbes. Together, the minerals suggest possible biological activity though non-biological processes could also have formed them.

The combination of chemical compounds we found in the Bright Angel formation could have been a rich source of energy for microbial metabolisms, said lead author Joel Hurowitz of Stony Brook University.

Extending the window of habitability

Scientists were surprised to find potential biosignatures in relatively young sedimentary rocks, overturning assumptions that evidence of life would only appear in older formations. The result suggests Mars may have remained habitable longer than previously thought.

Katie Stack Morgan, Perseverances project scientist, cautioned against overinterpreting the results. Astrobiological claims, particularly those related to the potential discovery of past extraterrestrial life, require extraordinary evidence, she said. While abiotic explanations are less likely, we cannot rule them out.

The next step in Mars science

NASA officials stressed that the finding demonstrates the missions ability to deliver on its core goal: to search for signs of ancient life. This is exactly the type of science Perseverance was designed to do, said Nicky Fox, NASAs associate administrator for science.

Samples collected by the rover will eventually be returned to Earth for deeper analysis under NASAs Mars Sample Return program. Until then, the discovery of Sapphire Canyon stands as the clearest hint yet that Mars may once have hosted life.

Other entrants this week include Mazda, Volvo, Toyota, Subaru, Rivian and Acura

Ford just keeps piling up the recalls the latest being for nearly 1.5 million vehicles that may have rearview cameras returning distorted or blank images. That could cause drivers to back into another vehicle or, worse yet, run over a pedestrian or child. We published this as a separate story on Sept. 9, and were including it here to keep the derby records up to date.

Ford

• NHTSA ID: 25V572000

• Component: Back Over Prevention

• Units Affected: 1,456,417

• Summary: 20152019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, Super Duty trucks, Navigator, Expedition, Edge, Transit Connect, Transit, Econoline, and Ranger models may display a distorted, inverted, or blank rearview image.

• Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera free of charge. Interim owner letters go out Sept. 22, 2025.

Affected Vehicles:

• Ford Econoline (20172019)

• Ford Edge (20152018)

• Ford Expedition (20152017)

• Ford F-250 SD (20152019)

• Ford F-350 SD (20152019)

• Ford F-450 SD (20152019)

• Ford F-550 SD (20162019)

• Ford Mustang (20152019)

• Ford Ranger (2019)

• Ford Transit (20162019)

• Ford Transit Connect (20152018)

• Lincoln MKC (20152019)

• Lincoln Navigator (20152017)

Volvo

• NHTSA ID: 25V589000

• Component: Seat Belts

• Units Affected: 1,355

• Summary: 2026 XC90 MHEV, XC60 MHEV, V90CC MHEV, and V60CC MHEV models may have front seat belt retractor torsion bars damaged in production.

• Remedy: Dealers will replace both front seat belt retractors free of charge. Notices mail Oct. 30, 2025.

Affected Vehicles:

• Volvo V60CC MHEV (2026)

• Volvo V90CC MHEV (2026)

• Volvo XC60 MHEV (2026)

• Volvo XC90 MHEV (2026)

Rivian

• NHTSA ID: 25V585000

• Component: Electrical System

• Units Affected: 24,214

• Summary: 2025 R1S and R1T vehicles running software before 2025.18.30 may fail to properly identify a lead vehicle when using Hands-Free Highway Assist.

• Remedy: An over-the-air software update is being provided free of charge. Owner notices mail Nov. 4, 2025.

Affected Vehicles:

• Rivian R1S (2025)

• Rivian R1T (2025)

Acura (Honda)

• NHTSA ID: 25V582000

• Component: Steering

• Units Affected: 17,334

• Summary: 2025 Acura RDX models may have improperly calibrated electric power steering software, which could cause loss of steering assist.

• Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the EPS software free of charge. Notices mail Oct. 20, 2025.

Affected Vehicles:

• Acura RDX (2025)

Lexus, Subaru (Toyota)

• NHTSA ID: 25V577000

• Component: Visibility

• Units Affected: 94,320

• Summary: 20232025 Toyota bZ4X, Lexus RZ, and Subaru Solterra vehicles may lose defrost/defogger function if the electrical compressor fails.

• Remedy: Dealers will update HVAC software and replace compressors as needed. Notices mail Oct. 20, 2025.

Affected Vehicles:

• Lexus RZ (20232025)

• Subaru Solterra (20232025)

• Toyota bZ4X (20232025)

Mazda

• NHTSA ID: 25V568000

• Component: Electrical System

• Units Affected: 104,854

• Summary: 20242025 Mazda CX-90 and 2025 CX-70 MHEVs may show inaccurate fuel gauge readings.

• Remedy: Dealers will update the body control module software free of charge. Notices mail Nov. 1, 2025.

Affected Vehicles:

• Mazda CX-70 (2025)

• Mazda CX-90 (20242025)

Reminder

The weekly Auto Safety Recall Derby covers larger recalls of sedans and light trucks. It does not include motorcycles, commercial vehicles, or recalls involving only a handful of units.

Stay up to date on recalls: Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov.