The Work Number
Encyclopedia
The Work Number is a user-paid verification of employment
database created by TALX Corporation
. TALX was acquired by Equifax Inc. in February 2007.
The Work Number allows requestors to receive immediate confirmation of an individual's employment and salary for verification purposes. The fee for this information is revealed only after the requester answers several personal questions.
It is used by over 50,000 organizations to verify employment data.
Some organizations that use the Work Number include Fannie Mae, Hilton Hotels
, Rent-A-Center
, the United States Postal Service
, Domino's Pizza
, and the University of Pennsylvania
. Founded in 1995, the Work Number has 192 million employment records.
The Work Number is an example of outsourcing
of a Human Resources
department function.
Additionally, the adoption of The Work Number causes a change in the financial responsibility for verification of employment
. In typical organizations, the cost of a verification of employment is borne completely by the employer and the actual cost of service is absorbed into the human resource department budget. In organizations using The Work Number, the cost is borne by the requestor of verification, who purchases either a single verification or a package of multiple verifications from TALX.
Employees control access to their records by providing a requestor (employer, landlord, or social service agency, for instance) with their social security number and employer's name.
If the employee wishes for a requestor to see his or her salary history, the employee logs on and obtains a 6-digit code, which he or she passes on to the requestor. Without that particular 6-digit code, the requestor is not allowed to view salary of the employee.
content of personal references.
Similarly, if an employee is concerned that a supervisor might share unfavorable information or be unwilling to verify employment, The Work Number provides some protection from this, as the system only reports objective data. It does not include performance reviews.
and may take a few days to be sent. Certain expedited services or advanced services may have fees attached.
To qualify for reduced or waived fees, the agency must register with The Work Number using an official fax number. Agencies that can take advantage of this service include eligibility programs, public housing, child support enforcement, and other public assistance needs. A "batch service" for multiple requests is also available.
Call center is located in Costa Rica and requires Social Security Number adding more risk to identity theft.
Because a fee (up to $18.00 per verification) is required, this increases the financial cost of verifying an individual's employment. There is a risk this cost could be passed on to the applicant. There is also a risk that a prospective requestor, such as a landlord
, might not be willing to pay the fee involved, or may not understand the process.
, or qualitative
references. It also requires a fee be paid each time a verification is required.
Verification of employment
Verification of Employment is a process used by banks and mortgage lenders in the United States to review the employment history of a borrower, to determine the borrower's job stability and cross-reference income history with that stated on the Uniform Residential Loan Application...
database created by TALX Corporation
Talx
-History:Based out St. Louis, Talx was founded in 1971. Talx's primary business involves contesting unemployment claims. During the late 1990s, Talx launched The Work Number, a pay service for employment and salary verification at the request of one of its clients...
. TALX was acquired by Equifax Inc. in February 2007.
The Work Number allows requestors to receive immediate confirmation of an individual's employment and salary for verification purposes. The fee for this information is revealed only after the requester answers several personal questions.
It is used by over 50,000 organizations to verify employment data.
Some organizations that use the Work Number include Fannie Mae, Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
, Rent-A-Center
Rent-A-Center
Rent-A-Center is an American public furniture and electronics rent to own company based in Plano, Texas. The company was incorporated in 1986 and as of 2010 operates 3,007 company-owned stores in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico, accounting for 38% of the rent-to-own market in...
, the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
, Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza, Inc. is an international pizza delivery corporation headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. Founded in 1960, Domino's is the second-largest pizza chain in the United States and has over 9,000 corporate and franchised stores in 60 countries and all 50 U.S....
, and the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. Founded in 1995, the Work Number has 192 million employment records.
The Work Number is an example of outsourcing
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
of a Human Resources
Human resources
Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations...
department function.
Additionally, the adoption of The Work Number causes a change in the financial responsibility for verification of employment
Verification of employment
Verification of Employment is a process used by banks and mortgage lenders in the United States to review the employment history of a borrower, to determine the borrower's job stability and cross-reference income history with that stated on the Uniform Residential Loan Application...
. In typical organizations, the cost of a verification of employment is borne completely by the employer and the actual cost of service is absorbed into the human resource department budget. In organizations using The Work Number, the cost is borne by the requestor of verification, who purchases either a single verification or a package of multiple verifications from TALX.
Cost savings
The service reduces the amount of time required for Human Resource departments to respond to employment verification requests. If Human Resource departments manage a large number of employees, such as universities, seasonal employers, etc. the amount of time savings and cost savings could be considerable.Access control
Employees of a company or organization using The Work Number's services receive an account that is set up for them on the website. Current, and presumably, former employees can log on to The Work Number at any time.Employees control access to their records by providing a requestor (employer, landlord, or social service agency, for instance) with their social security number and employer's name.
If the employee wishes for a requestor to see his or her salary history, the employee logs on and obtains a 6-digit code, which he or she passes on to the requestor. Without that particular 6-digit code, the requestor is not allowed to view salary of the employee.
Instant availability of records
Additionally, as soon as the requester receives permission from an applicant to access the record, and the fee is paid (if required), it is instantly available.Objective nature of records
The system reports factual information only, such as length of employment and job title. Some employers feel this reduces the risk of legal liability over the subjectiveSubjectivity
Subjectivity refers to the subject and his or her perspective, feelings, beliefs, and desires. In philosophy, the term is usually contrasted with objectivity.-Qualia:...
content of personal references.
Similarly, if an employee is concerned that a supervisor might share unfavorable information or be unwilling to verify employment, The Work Number provides some protection from this, as the system only reports objective data. It does not include performance reviews.
Additional HR services
The Work Number, if set up for this service by the employer, may provide duplicate copies of W-2's through the employee's online portal.Social services fee waiver
The Work Number generally charges for verification data. However, fees are waived for Federal, State, or County Social Service Departments, who are providing benefits such as the Food Stamp program or TANF to their low-income/welfare applicants. The reports are sent by faxFax
Fax , sometimes called telecopying, is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material , normally to a telephone number connected to a printer or other output device...
and may take a few days to be sent. Certain expedited services or advanced services may have fees attached.
To qualify for reduced or waived fees, the agency must register with The Work Number using an official fax number. Agencies that can take advantage of this service include eligibility programs, public housing, child support enforcement, and other public assistance needs. A "batch service" for multiple requests is also available.
Security
Recently, internet security issues at sites that contain "sensitive" information has become a big business for hackers. Questions regarding the safety of various websites that offer services (such as The Work Number) that contains this information may be compromised by hackers (and may be a future target for hackers) and a problem for internet security officials.Call center is located in Costa Rica and requires Social Security Number adding more risk to identity theft.
Profit motive
The Work Number charges a fee to the requesting party for each Employment Verification, with the exception of social service agencies. Requestors can choose a "pay per use" plan or can select a package which includes a certain number of verifications per month.Because a fee (up to $18.00 per verification) is required, this increases the financial cost of verifying an individual's employment. There is a risk this cost could be passed on to the applicant. There is also a risk that a prospective requestor, such as a landlord
Landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
, might not be willing to pay the fee involved, or may not understand the process.
Mandatory usage policies
Some organizations are making use of The Work Number mandatory as the only way for employees or verifiers to receive information about a staffer's employment. This limits the availability of personalized, subjectiveSubjectivity
Subjectivity refers to the subject and his or her perspective, feelings, beliefs, and desires. In philosophy, the term is usually contrasted with objectivity.-Qualia:...
, or qualitative
Qualitative research
Qualitative research is a method of inquiry employed in many different academic disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research and further contexts. Qualitative researchers aim to gather an in-depth understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern such...
references. It also requires a fee be paid each time a verification is required.