How to Get Proof of Employment
Decide what information you need., Determine how far back you want to go., Choose a verification service., Get consent from the employee candidate., Receive the verification report., Meet with the candidate.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Decide what information you need.
Which service works best for you may depend on the specific details you need to prove for a particular candidate.
Services can confirm the start and end dates of the candidate's previous jobs, the titles and duties of those jobs, as well as salary figures.
In some states, you also can learn about the reason for the employee's termination and whether the company considers him or her eligible for rehire.The law regarding what former employers can disclose varies widely among states, so it's worth checking your state's law if you think verifying the candidate's previous job performance, professional conduct, or reasons for termination are important. -
Step 2: Determine how far back you want to go.
Typically employers want to verify either a certain number of previous employers or employment for a certain number of years.
The way you want to define this depends not only on your company's needs but the work history of the candidate.
For example, if someone applies to work for you who has been working for the same employer for six years, an employment verification that went back five years would only capture that one job.
Many employers favor the approach of reviewing a candidate's past five years of work history or last two employers, whichever is longer.Keep in mind that some applicants may have gaps in their employment history that would cause difficulty if you went with a strictly years-based approach.For example, if you were reviewing the past five years, but the applicant was out of work for two years giving birth and taking care of an infant, your five years would only capture three years of work. , Based on your assessment of your needs, you can find a verification service that will deliver the information you need the most efficiently and cost-effectively.
Not only are there different verification services that have access to different databases and information, but each service may have several different options from which you can choose the one that best suits your company.
For example, Equifax provides employment verifications through its service, The Work Number.
These services vary in price depending on whether you need salary information or simply need to confirm where the candidate worked and how long he or she worked there., Your verification service probably will require a signed consent document before it completes the search.
In some states such as Delaware and Oklahoma, consent from the candidate is required by law if you want to contact former employers or look into his or her employment history.If you're looking for work, you can sign up with verification services yourself and offer a code for employers to verify your employment history.
Having this option available can not only make the hiring process quicker and smoother, but also will increase a potential employer's confidence in you as a new hire., Within a few days or a week, the service will send you a report of its findings.Once you receive the report, you may want to compare it with the candidate's application or resumé and assess the validity of the information you were provided. , You may want to give the candidate an opportunity to explain any discrepancies between the verification report you received and the information he or she supplied to you.
Typically the verification company also must give the applicant the opportunity to dispute any information contained in the report if he or she contends it isn't accurate.
Find out the procedures from your verification company and inform the applicant as needed.In some cases, discrepancies may be the result of a misunderstanding.
For example, if the applicant was placed with an employer through a temp agency and then hired full time, he may simply list the name of the company for the entire period of employment, even though initially he was not on the company's payroll.
This would cause a discrepancy between the verification service's report and the information he gave you. -
Step 3: Choose a verification service.
-
Step 4: Get consent from the employee candidate.
-
Step 5: Receive the verification report.
-
Step 6: Meet with the candidate.
Detailed Guide
Which service works best for you may depend on the specific details you need to prove for a particular candidate.
Services can confirm the start and end dates of the candidate's previous jobs, the titles and duties of those jobs, as well as salary figures.
In some states, you also can learn about the reason for the employee's termination and whether the company considers him or her eligible for rehire.The law regarding what former employers can disclose varies widely among states, so it's worth checking your state's law if you think verifying the candidate's previous job performance, professional conduct, or reasons for termination are important.
Typically employers want to verify either a certain number of previous employers or employment for a certain number of years.
The way you want to define this depends not only on your company's needs but the work history of the candidate.
For example, if someone applies to work for you who has been working for the same employer for six years, an employment verification that went back five years would only capture that one job.
Many employers favor the approach of reviewing a candidate's past five years of work history or last two employers, whichever is longer.Keep in mind that some applicants may have gaps in their employment history that would cause difficulty if you went with a strictly years-based approach.For example, if you were reviewing the past five years, but the applicant was out of work for two years giving birth and taking care of an infant, your five years would only capture three years of work. , Based on your assessment of your needs, you can find a verification service that will deliver the information you need the most efficiently and cost-effectively.
Not only are there different verification services that have access to different databases and information, but each service may have several different options from which you can choose the one that best suits your company.
For example, Equifax provides employment verifications through its service, The Work Number.
These services vary in price depending on whether you need salary information or simply need to confirm where the candidate worked and how long he or she worked there., Your verification service probably will require a signed consent document before it completes the search.
In some states such as Delaware and Oklahoma, consent from the candidate is required by law if you want to contact former employers or look into his or her employment history.If you're looking for work, you can sign up with verification services yourself and offer a code for employers to verify your employment history.
Having this option available can not only make the hiring process quicker and smoother, but also will increase a potential employer's confidence in you as a new hire., Within a few days or a week, the service will send you a report of its findings.Once you receive the report, you may want to compare it with the candidate's application or resumé and assess the validity of the information you were provided. , You may want to give the candidate an opportunity to explain any discrepancies between the verification report you received and the information he or she supplied to you.
Typically the verification company also must give the applicant the opportunity to dispute any information contained in the report if he or she contends it isn't accurate.
Find out the procedures from your verification company and inform the applicant as needed.In some cases, discrepancies may be the result of a misunderstanding.
For example, if the applicant was placed with an employer through a temp agency and then hired full time, he may simply list the name of the company for the entire period of employment, even though initially he was not on the company's payroll.
This would cause a discrepancy between the verification service's report and the information he gave you.
About the Author
Zachary Harris
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow DIY projects tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: