Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
its not just your $$ either, its your gender, if you are single how many deductions you have...all the crap they are not ALLOWED TO ASK
What makes you think a company isn't allowed to ask those questions of an employee? How do you think that information gets on a W-2 in the first place? Gender isn't on a W-2, but I'm pretty certain the employer knows the OPs gender by now anyway.
Creating a W-2 Form that looks identical to the one your previous employer sent you is really easy. Just buy some cheap off the shelf payroll software they sell at Staples. How do you think small businesses create a W-2.
Or easier still, scan one and update the information using software and email a copy to the employer.
And here we have a perfect example of why companies try to verify what candidates or new hires tell them in the first place...so many people think it's OK to lie.
I don't understand the outrage. If you signed that wordy document at the end of the employment application you already gave your consent to the employer to check all this information. The company doing the background check...the one you consented to...is asking you to provide proof of prior employment, and yes, possibly even prior salary. You agreed they could do it. They are doing it. What's the problem? As I've posted before, there are other ways the company or the background check firm can get this information, like TheWorkNumber. It's possible that the OPs prior employer(s) don't report info to places like that, so now they ask the employee to provide the proof since they couldn't independently verify it. Maybe the prior employer is defunct, or didn't respond. Or maybe it is just a lazy background firm and they are taking the cheap route.
I'm not saying I like the idea, but it's a fact of life and not really all that outrageous.
The third party hiring agency is requiring this of me. PB hires a third party agency to do the background checks and other stuff.
Is the third Party Company hireright? I know when I worked for T-Mobile and ADP they both used Hireright and when they couldn't verify my employment at 2 previous jobs, they asked for copies of my w-2 or taxes that I filed for those years.
Unless a job is a high clearance, top security level that pays at LEAST 6 figures I would never EVER provide either W2 or tax returns. Is this a job working for George Soros? The International Criminal Court? Rest of ya'll can do as you please, but don't blame that same company when they lowball you or intrusively ask for more private information AFTER they hire you. We all have to make choices at some point. Just be prepared to deal with more b.s. requests/demands later on. The first move usually sets the organizational tone later on at a company.
Also: ask any lawyer, accountant or former IRS person. I was told "third parties will not be provided this type of info, regardless of what "forms" or "disclosures" were signed. You want someone's W2 or tax return? Get a court order to subpoena that, and you better be CIA/FBI/Homeland Sec. I hope this response puts this issue to bed, although I'm sure some will still argue this.
And here we have a perfect example of why companies try to verify what candidates or new hires tell them in the first place...so many people think it's OK to lie.
I don't understand the outrage. If you signed that wordy document at the end of the employment application you already gave your consent to the employer to check all this information. The company doing the background check...the one you consented to...is asking you to provide proof of prior employment, and yes, possibly even prior salary. You agreed they could do it. They are doing it. What's the problem? As I've posted before, there are other ways the company or the background check firm can get this information, like TheWorkNumber. It's possible that the OPs prior employer(s) don't report info to places like that, so now they ask the employee to provide the proof since they couldn't independently verify it. Maybe the prior employer is defunct, or didn't respond. Or maybe it is just a lazy background firm and they are taking the cheap route.
I'm not saying I like the idea, but it's a fact of life and not really all that outrageous.
Everyone here has a problem with companies bullying candidates with the threat of yanking an offer to obtain information they have no right to and seriously invade people's privacy for the purpose of forcing a decissive advantage in salary negotiations. It is like a car salesman or home seller demanding all your private financial information so they know exactly how high they can set the price before you are forced to walk away. In such a case I see no problem with lying. I've been lied to, treated badly, and cheated enough times to see most companies have no moral high horse to sit on.
As for worknumber they will not give out salary information unless the subject specifically goes to their website, gets a request PIN and then provides that pin to the inquisitor. They do not give it out willy nilly that is a common misconception.
Everyone here has a problem with companies bullying candidates with the threat of yanking an offer to obtain information they have no right to and seriously invade people's privacy for the purpose of forcing a decissive advantage in salary negotiations. It is like a car salesman or home seller demanding all your private financial information so they know exactly how high they can set the price before you are forced to walk away. In such a case I see no problem with lying. I've been lied to, treated badly, and cheated enough times to see most companies have no moral high horse to sit on.
As for worknumber they will not give out salary information unless the subject specifically goes to their website, gets a request PIN and then provides that pin to the inquisitor. They do not give it out willy nilly that is a common misconception.
Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself. See my response above. My friend is a journalist/blogger so he actually investigated this issue. He spoke to a labor attorney, a CPA/Financial Advisor and finally, an IRS employee.
What makes you think a company isn't allowed to ask those questions of an employee? How do you think that information gets on a W-2 in the first place? Gender isn't on a W-2, but I'm pretty certain the employer knows the OPs gender by now anyway.
they are not, especially during the interview process. Sometimes they will ask that information as part of the EOE process or to gather survey information that the interviewers can't see. It's illegal to hire on basis of race, marital status or how many dependents you have!
yeah I'm pretty sure they know if he's a guy or girl by now. But this is a slippery slope. If recruiters are just asking for this stuff now even before the interview process and have been dealing with you via email then there you go. This is why people have stopped customarily having their photos on their resumes.
Companies (good ones, and the government) are not supposed to be hiring on the basis of appearance or gender.
as for the rest of what you say I suggest you search around and read some of this stuff. It's not illegal to ask for the w-2 but its pushing it pretty dang close and the company is taking a big risk in how it looks to the employee by asking for it in the first place.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,936 posts, read 36,989,150 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by rgb123
they are not, especially during the interview process. Sometimes they will ask that information as part of the EOE process or to gather survey information that the interviewers can't see. It's illegal to hire on basis of race, marital status or how many dependents you have!
Yes, it is illegal to not hire someone based on these factors. It is NOT illegal to ask about them. Is it dumb to ask about them because you may open yourself up to a lawsuit? Absolutely, but it is not illegal at all.
Yeah this sounds like a dime a dozen sales position....I'd look elsewhere if they need all of that info. Pitney just made a ton of layoffs if memory serves as well.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
See my response above. My friend is a journalist/blogger so he actually investigated this issue. He spoke to a labor attorney, a CPA/Financial Advisor and finally, an IRS employee.
