How do company verify your employment history? Can they check your tax records?

Question

Does pre-employment background include past tax records?

Answer 1

They call up the companies on your resume if they want and verify with HR if the years listed on your resume with the company are correct. If they want to spend the money they can find out just about everything about you, except what size underwear you wear (and I'm not even certain that they can't find that out either).

Answer 2

How To Verify Employment History

Answer 3

There isn't such a thing as a combined or consolidated employment history that exists somewhere for people to use. What they'll do is call each of the references you list for each past employer to verify you worked there and the dates you were employed. Do the best you can and explain that you might not have every date exact and you didn't want them to think you lied about any of the information you listed. The last name thing, well, unless you're 120-years-old and had a million jobs you shouldn't have forgotten those.

Answer 4

Simple answer: the only way the IRS will give anyone copies of your tax records (aside from a court order) is if you give them permission via Form 4506. Legally, they can't even do a credit history without your consent, but unfortunately, this hurdle is more easily bypassed. The IRS, on the other hand, has more checks and balances to prevent unauthorized access to your tax history. Every company is different, but most simply call your old employers and ask if and when you worked for them. Employers rarely give more info than that for fear of being sued (sued by you for saying you are lousy and sued by the new employer for saying you are great when you aren't).

Answer 5

Employment verification is pretty straightforward, they just call and ask or request it in writing. Many employers will only verify employment dates and job titles to limit the chances of any litigation.

Some employers require a more extensive background check and that can include criminal background investigations which are a matter of public record as well as credit checks. For a credit check you'll be asked to sign an authorization to pull your credit file for employment purposes. If you don't consent, more than likely the job offer will be pulled.

Some employers -- banks in particular but also some government positions including the IRS itself -- may require copies of the past few years tax returns. Again, you'll be asked to sign authorization (Form 4506) for the employer to pull that information from the IRS. Failure to authorize the disclosure will usually result in withdrawal of the job offer.

Credit checks and tax checks can't be run without your consent, but if you don't consent there won't be a job offer on the table.

Answer 6

At the bank we required copies of your tax returns, you would also sign a document that if we didnt believe you, we would check it. You would give that permission when you filled out your contract. If you lied you were fired.

We could check directly with IRS if you were lying about what you made.

But for the most party companies will just ask what you made call the other company and ask if it was true. If we didnt know the company we would ask for W2's or 1099's, if we still didnt believe you, you would sign a form that allowed us to check with the IRS. It gives us a right to pull your tax returns that you filed.

If the job you are applying for is under 100K I wouldnt even worry about it, as long as it checks out with the W2 and employers.

Just dont lie. You will be fine, because we will find out.

** UPDATE **
Sorry these people dont really know what they are talking about. Its called *IRS Form 4506.* That allows anybody of interest to check what you said agaisnt your application and match it to IRS. Landlords, Lenders, Employers anybody of interest. I only gave an update because everybody is getting this question wrong. That form will be in there.

It will give a 3rd party any rights to pull your tax returns in question. Just make sure it matches your application if you want to keep your job.

Answer 7

I don't think so. Tax records are private and confidential information. They could verify your employment history through your Social Security contributions. There are other ways of finding out.

Peace and blessings!

Answer 8

Your tax records are private. Companies ask for previous employers, then they call them! Usually they will only say that you did or didn't work there and the dates you started and stopped. They won't say what they paid you or whether or not you were satisfactory, because they can get sued if they give out info like that.

Answer 9

Wow, thankyou! I was asking myself the same question yesterday

Answer 10

tax records are supposed to be, and generally are, very private.