The City Council passed a bill on Thursday that will make New York the 12th jurisdiction in the country to prohibit employers from using credit checks to screen job applicants.

By a 47-to-3 vote, the Council approved a ban that supporters said would significantly curtail a practice that they said disproportionately affected the ability of blacks and Hispanics to get hired.

Labor unions, liberal-leaning think tanks and groups that advocate on behalf of low-income residents joined several council members in front of City Hall to cheer the legislation, seen as a major victory since a similar bill died in December 2013.

“How can you change your credit, improve your credit and have a better life without employment?” said Shelly Martin, a Harlem entrepreneur who has become a spokeswoman for the local movement.