Job question: How do employer verify salary info?

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Do potential employer rely on copy of W2s, or can they inquire through IRS? Or do they simply call up my previous place for verbal verification? My situation is that I've had a couple jobs in the past. I was able to locate all the W-2s except for a job held in 2009. I know the potential employer will call all my previous jobs to verify employment, but can they verify wages too? I have a feeling my previous employers may not be willing to reveal more info than needed.

It would help if you work in HR for a large company or know the inside practice...

 

[purbeast0]

depends on the company. i don't think a prior company is allowed to disclose salary information though.

i've had ones ask for pay stubs, but that was early on in my career. now when they ask me how much i make at my current job, i tell them it's totally irrelevant. if they don't accept the answer then it's not meant to be, because that just means they were looking to lowball anyways.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

I just want to make it clear. An offer has been made. The potential employer just needs to verify my salary info, background check and whatnots. So this is not a mean to lowball me. I just want to know how they can obtain the wage info if I misplaced the W-2 or paystubs.

 

[purbeast0]

you can get them (w2/paystub) from your old company by calling them or emailing them. they aren't "lost forever" or anything lol.

sad that they are actually verifying your previous salary info though.

 

[Vic Vega]

Can you request copies from your current/old employer?

If you were paid via direct deposit you can show them bank statements which will have the company name on the deposit. Show them a statement from Q4 for each year you worked for the company.

 

[purbeast0]

Can you request copies from your current/old employer?

If you were paid via direct deposit you can show them bank statements which will have the company name on the deposit. Show them a statement from Q4 for each year you worked for the company.

bank statement only shows net pay not gross.

 

[Vic Vega]

you can get them (w2/paystub) from your old company by calling them or emailing them. they aren't "lost forever" or anything lol.

sad that they are actually verifying your previous salary info though.

If they have them, they may not or may not be willing to provide them. I have experienced this.

 

[Farang]

Depending on how long you held that job in 2009, I'd think an IRS return (which is readily available) would satisfy the request. Your previous employer should not be giving out your salary information to anyone other than yourself unless it is required to do so by law.

Also this is highly unusual for a company to be asking for salary information so far back in the past. If it is a dealbreaker I'd reconsider working for the company.

 

[kranky]

My company does not disclose salary information.

And what is the relevance of what someone made at a previous job anyway?

 

[Vic Vega]

I went to work for my current employer in 2011. They asked for ten years of salary records. The company I worked for in 2001-2005 was bought out and the new company would not provide records for 2001-2003. It happens.

Ten year work history to include salary information is not unreasonable for an employer to request.

Of course, you can choose not to provide this information to your potential employer.

 

[SunnyD]

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Your salary (and a lot of other private employment information) probably has already been sold to the highest bidder.

 

[MixMasterTang]

If you have the offer I don't see how or why they would possibly need to verify prior salary. Prior employment yes, but wtf so they need to know exactly how much you were paid in 2009?

 

[Vic Vega]

My company does not disclose salary information.

And what is the relevance of what someone made at a previous job anyway?

It's a negotiating tool, plain and simple. It can be used to your benefit.

Company offers say 75K. You say you've been making 75K for the last X years and here's proof. Company sees proof and offers 95K.

It goes the other way too. You ask for 100K but company says, we'll offer 95K based on your previous salary.

YOU have to decide if it's a good deal or not.

Salary negotiation is just that... a negotiation. An employer will almost never give their best offer up front.

 

[Tweak155]

If you have the offer I don't see how or why they would possibly need to verify prior salary. Prior employment yes, but wtf so they need to know exactly how much you were paid in 2009?

See if he was honest?

 

[Vic Vega]

If you have the offer I don't see how or why they would possibly need to verify prior salary. Prior employment yes, but wtf so they need to know exactly how much you were paid in 2009?

The employer makes a good faith offer based on the information you provided to them. Can you expect them not to check on that?

I mean, McDonald's it doesn't matter. Fortune 500 company? They're going to check.

 

[Vdubchaos]

The employer makes a good faith offer based on the information you provided to them. Can you expect them not to check on that?

Not at all. They are trying to get you to name the # first.

Sales 101

depends on the company. i don't think a prior company is allowed to disclose salary information though.

i've had ones ask for pay stubs, but that was early on in my career. now when they ask me how much i make at my current job, i tell them it's totally irrelevant. if they don't accept the answer then it's not meant to be, because that just means they were looking to lowball anyways.

Agreed

 

[Vic Vega]

Not at all. They are trying to get you to name the # first.

Sales 101



Agreed

Didn't read the thread? I don't recall saying you should provide it up front. I said it's a negotiating tool for them and for you. YOU have to decide how and when to use it. They may ultimately require it.

 

[MixMasterTang]

The employer makes a good faith offer based on the information you provided to them. Can you expect them not to check on that?

I mean, McDonald's it doesn't matter. Fortune 500 company? They're going to check.

I have worked for 4 Fortune 500 companies and have never had to provide proof of previous salary.

 

[Markbnj]

The employer makes a good faith offer based on the information you provided to them. Can you expect them not to check on that?

I mean, McDonald's it doesn't matter. Fortune 500 company? They're going to check.

I've never had a company check my prior salary history. Why would they base their offer on what you were previously paid? The job has a market value, and they presumably already know what that is. Sounds odd to me.

 

[purbeast0]

It's a negotiating tool, plain and simple. It can be used to your benefit.

Company offers say 75K. You say you've been making 75K for the last X years and here's proof. Company sees proof and offers 95K.

It goes the other way too. You ask for 100K but company says, we'll offer 95K based on your previous salary.

YOU have to decide if it's a good deal or not.

Salary negotiation is just that... a negotiation. An employer will almost never give their best offer up front.

well if i'm making $75k currently, i won't be looking at jobs that are offering $75k.

disclosing current salary information has absolutely 0 benefit to you. the only thing it will do is hurt you. what they are going to pay you should have NOTHING to do with salary history.

i learned this the hard way being underpaid after a couple years at my first job out of college. being underpaid was a huge reason why i wanted a new job in the first place.

 

[Exterous]

I'm shocked that someone with that username would have a question

 

[Legios]

Doesnt the industry matter somewhat. In finance they do check up on credit checks.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

I'm shocked that someone with that username would have a question

Hey, just trying to live up to my nickname.

 

[CountZero]

The employer makes a good faith offer based on the information you provided to them. Can you expect them not to check on that?

I mean, McDonald's it doesn't matter. Fortune 500 company? They're going to check.

Never had it happen for me and I've always been up front with giving my salary letting them know I'm looking for a bump up.

One of my previous employers used theworknumber, pulled up my report and found that 1) they messed up and were reporting net for my most recent employer so it was a fair bit lower and 2) maybe half of all places I've worked at were in that system including stupid little jobs from high school. For the most recent salaried position it had every single paycheck. For the older positions it had every paycheck, hourly wages, hours worked, etc. Pretty creepy and yet another credit-check style report that you will have to worry about being wrong at the most inconvenient moment since you will likely not even know it exists until it screws you over.

So you could check theworknumber, if they call the company they will be directed to that site if the company uses it. Otherwise I think paystubs would work if you have them. If you don't I don't know how you would prove gross.

 

[jupiter57]

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Your salary (and a lot of other private employment information) probably has already been sold to the highest bidder.

^This.

There are a couple more also.
My last company ran salary history & credit checks on all Project Manager & Construction Manager applicants.
Sometimes your salary history goes back several years, some only prior year, and even some hadn't been updated in a few years.

Found a LOT of BSers while looking through their records, several whom had never even worked in Construction at all, and quite a few lied about their previous salaries!