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Thanks Nell. Last question, say you suspected that I did exactly what I said I did and you are the HR/employee relations person. You've already got my paystub. What can you do now to prove your suspicion?
They don't need to prove anything. They could look it over and even if they don't believe it, they could fire you for some other reason after you are working there.
They could also ask the vendor who generated the paycheck stub if this looks authentic. All it needs to be is a single pixel out of place and they can tell. I'm a software person and in my career I have written software to format payroll checks and visually I would notice if it wasn't perfect looking. If you sent them the actual PDF you edited, that is even worse because contain in the PDF would show it was created differently than normal.
While the company you work at might not disclose the salary to someone else, people in HR from different companies can know each other or just as a professional courtesy answer some general questions. They could easily call or e-mail a friend there and ask, "Would it be likely for your company to pay a salary of $96K (or whatever it was) for someone with the job title of XYZ, who has X years of experience?". Their friend in HR might come back and say, without even knowing your name, "That salary would be out of line for those positions. Let me check, someone with that job title maxes out at $82,500".
Depending on how serious they are, they could ask you to sign IRS Form 4506 authorizing them to get a transcript of your tax returns directly from the IRS. That would reveal exactly what you were paid and by which employer. There might be a similar method to asking for bank statements directly from the bank with your authorization.
You mentioned you have no moral dilemma about doing this, you just don't want to get caught. But apparently you do on some level, otherwise this wouldn't bother you or cause you stress. Because people who don't have any moral dilemmas about what they do aren't this concerned, which is why they do them in the first place.
Just before they put you to sleep to remove that brain aneurism, I want you to think about the surgeon lying just a little bit....like he is a surgeon...a tree surgeon....
They could also send it to CSI for forensic analysis. Or just waterboard him.
Let's be realistic. What can they do vs what are they likely to do?
The OP is apparently not so concerned that he didn't make at least two deliberate decisions to lie - inflate salary on resume and doctor paystub to support it. This is Work forum not Psychology forum and so this isn't really the forum to discuss the OP's tolerance to stress. I've know worrywarts that could get ulcers over a slight chance of getting caught in a white lie and I've known narcissists who could sleep soundly having told a boatload of major lies that are destined to unravel.
To voluntarily withdraw now would be self defeating and to engage in further fraud or resistance would be destined to failure. At this point, the lie has been told and it is either believed or it is not. If the company is satisfied then proceed forward. If they impose more documentary requirements, step back.
You say companies don't keep such detailed records or check them so closely yet you're freaking out over some remote possibility they might conduct a secret service level background check? The OP was already under some kind of stress or he wouldn't have been looking to change jobs.
The reality is the odds are very low that the OP will get caught if he doesn't get caught upfront before starting yet the odds are very high that if somehow he does get caught later he will be fired. So, the OP can follow through on the offer, establish his salary history at the new level, then look for another job in six months.
What shouldn't be relevant here is the OP's former salary.
People are answering "what if" proposed by the OP.
When you have someone put in a new driveway for you, it shouldn't be any of your business what they charged your neighbor for the same work, but you want to know anyway. Employers are the same. This is their condition as part of the application process. Personally, I've left it blank for salary on employers because I already established what I'm looking for in compensation. So I never had a place I really want to work press me on this. I also ask this question about compensation upfront when contacted to see if this is a waste of my time or not.
The other reason companies do this, it because they are conducting background checks. They want to see if you are legit. If you really are a citizen, really did work at these companies, and there is nothing suspect about you. It isn't just about knowing your salary. Because without these documents, people can claim they worked for a company for a year while they were actually unemployed robbing liquor stores.
If your an employer, you already know the answer. If just some employee, it's none of your business.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MSchemist80
And how many companies are going to go through the trouble and expense to keep digging up and verify your previous salary.
Depends, if they suspect something, they may go through it or more likely, they will just pass the person over to someone without suspicion. Honestly, I don't need to play nursemaid to applicants, if they present anything in anyway I'm not comfortable with, just move on to the next person. I don't need to explain or even give a reason.
As an FYI, the cost of these data searches is far less expensive than a traditional background check.
Companies have also increased background checks and verification due to the widely known fact that applicants are now routinely LYING to get jobs. By employees own admission and openly boasting about it, they have taught us to not trust them. When we read things like this and it starts appearing in business journals and industry publication we take notice. When out HR contractors have tripled the number of false information hits on returned inquires, we have no choice but to start routinely running people through the alternative systems. Once again, the cost is coming down based of technology so checking is rather cheap.
And, with this new attitude that lying to employers is just the way it is and there is nothing wrong with doing it, believe me, we don't accept what you say. You have a problem with this, blame it on all those applicants who trained us that many applicants are liars and dishonest.
They could also send it to CSI for forensic analysis. Or just waterboard him.
Let's be realistic. What can they do vs what are they likely to do?
The OP is apparently not so concerned that he didn't make at least two deliberate decisions to lie - inflate salary on resume and doctor paystub to support it. This is Work forum not Psychology forum and so this isn't really the forum to discuss the OP's tolerance to stress. I've know worrywarts that could get ulcers over a slight chance of getting caught in a white lie and I've known narcissists who could sleep soundly having told a boatload of major lies that are destined to unravel.
To voluntarily withdraw now would be self defeating and to engage in further fraud or resistance would be destined to failure. At this point, the lie has been told and it is either believed or it is not. If the company is satisfied then proceed forward. If they impose more documentary requirements, step back.
The OP is monumentally concerned, which is why the OP is posting here asking all these "what if" questions. It doesn't matter if they catch the OP or not, the stress of living with this is going to take its toll, which is abundantly clear and top of mind to the OP.
They aren't going to step back, they are going to proceed to fully complete their background checks. Most offers and employment is pending so there is no deadline for the OP to feel in the clear.
Just before they put you to sleep to remove that brain aneurism, I want you to think about the surgeon lying just a little bit....like he is a surgeon...a tree surgeon....
What difference does it possibly make?
I've got news for you. Everyone lies during the hiring process.
Why are you looking?
More money and my boss is a @hole.
Why do you want to work here?
You pay good money and are close to where I live.
What are your weaknesses?
I'm often late, often leave early, am inappropriate with female coworkers, don't get along with, lazy....
How did you handle a conflict with a coworker?
We screamed and swore at each other.
Withdrawing from the job doesn't stop the stress if one is going to stress over some remote possibility because there is always the chance this attempted fraud will get back to his current employer and he could lose his current job.
It's all just a game and I hate employers doing it and mostly from bosses that have an elitist attitude.
I remember I couldn't hire a particular person as a hiring manager because the person wants a certain salary above our limit and my boss wants income verification. He says he can't justify giving someone a 20% raise over his current one even though other candidates are not good enough.
In the end, we ended up getting someone else who's less qualify and paying close to the top candidate.
I don't see the value doing that because the lesser candidate brought less value while making close to 85% of the top candidates salary demand.
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