Employment Verification 101

The #1 way candidates lie on their resume to get through the door is by editing employment dates. 

Usually, an employee will claim a longer tenure at a job to omit an employer from an eventual reference check or to cover up long periods of unemployment. False employment dates signal there’s more to the story than how the candidate presents themselves and exposes flat-out dishonesty in the candidate, which could carry over to the workplace if hired.  

Purpose of Employment Verification

Dishonest candidates pose a risk to employers over time since dishonest employees threaten the integrity of a positive workplace culture, are more likely to steal from their employers, and could ultimately cause a skill shortage (it’s likely they haven’t developed all the skills and expertise they say they have within the given time frame). The results: reduced productivity, higher turnover, and wasted money. 

That’s why many employers include employment verification as part of a comprehensive pre-employment background screening program. Employment verification is a quick and easy way to validate the accuracy and legitimacy of the information provided by candidates, and—with just some brief, straightforward data—employers can get a glimpse into a candidate’s trustworthiness, integrity, and reliability. 

How to Conduct Employment Verification

The verification process usually involves confirming the applicant’s work history, job titles, responsibilities, salary details, and dates of employment. 

Most employment verifications are completed by contacting the workplace listed on the applicant’s resume to confirm that the applicant was employed there, how long they were employed, and the job titles held during their employment. This information not only gives employers insight into the credibility of the candidate but also into their “fitness” for the job, since job titles are a pretty good indicator of a candidate’s level, skills, and abilities as it pertains to the role. 

However, other companies choose to conduct employment verification during the reference check stage of the background check to include more qualitative, contextual information from previous employers. 

A Better Way to Run Employment Verification

These days, most employers opt to hire third-party background screening companies to conduct comprehensive employment verifications for them since reputable background check companies specialize in verifying employment histories and educational backgrounds and conducting criminal background checks—meaning they can collect more accurate results in less time. 

At S2Verify, for example, we provide best-in-class employment verification via reference checks during the background screening process. When possible, references are checked through electronic verification resources. When unavailable, we call an applicant’s previous employer or supervisor—getting consistently faster, more in-depth results than an in-house resource. 

Furthermore, we collaborate with our customers to develop legally approved scripts for use during reference calls—to ensure that all the information they care about is gathered. If the information collected during an employment verification matches the information provided on the applicant’s resume and reflects positively on their character, employers can proceed with confidence, knowing they’re making an informed hiring decision. 

Legal Considerations

Employment verifications are subject to various legal considerations to protect employers and job applicants. As such, it’s crucial for employers to understand and adhere to the following when conducting employment verification: 

Consent

Under the FCRA, you cannot conduct any type of background check, including employment verification, without first notifying the applicant in writing that you intend to do so and obtaining their signed authorization. The applicant should be aware of the information the employer plans to collect and its potential impact on their job application. If the information uncovered during employment verification makes you want to take them out of the running, you must complete an adverse action process to deliver the final decision legally. 

Privacy

Under laws like HIPAA, which protects people’s privacy when it comes to their health information, employers can’t share information about an employee’s health or disability when verifying employment.

Fairness

Both federal and state laws mandate that employment verifications be conducted uniformly for all applicants to avoid discrimination based on race, gender, age, religion, or any other protected characteristic.

Click here to learn more about employment verification and how it fits into a larger, comprehensive background screening program.