Employment Verification

This article will help you:

• Understand the Employment Verification process
• Decide when to include Employment Verifications in your background check package
• Configure your Employment Verification options
• Understand your candidate's experience

This article is intended for the following user roles: admin, adjudicator, user

Employment Verification typically checks up to three past employers in the past seven years.

Verification Process

Verifying past employment history validates a person’s work experience. It can also be useful in identifying gaps in the candidate’s employment history.

During the Checkr-Hosted Apply flow, candidates are asked to provide employment history. They are given the opportunity to request that their current employer NOT be contacted. When this option is selected, Checkr will prompt them to upload a file that documents employment. 

They are also given the opportunity to upload documents to verify the employment history they've entered. Accepted documents include W-2, 1099, or pay stub. Documents must reflect the employer name and will only be used for verification purposes. 

Documents uploaded when the employer is not contacted will be used to verify their employment after Checkr confirms that the business exists. All other supplemental documents will be used for the Employment Verification only if all other contact attempts have been exhausted. They will not appear in the Checkr Dashboard, or in the candidate's Report.

Please note: Checkr is unable to accept documents after a verification is complete. Customers must contact their candidate directly if they wish to review any supplemental information provided outside of the Checkr Employment Verification.

Checkr makes three attempts to verify the information a candidate provides about their employment history:

• First Attempt: We check established databases that maintain employment records on millions of Americans.
• Second Attempt: A researcher will contact the employer directly, using information provided by the candidate or discovered through our research.
• Third Attempt: Checkr will try to contact the listed company by reaching out to someone within the company other than the contact provided.

Notes are made on each of these attempts, and are available in the candidate's Report. 

If previous employers cannot be verified, Checkr will generate an exception, and request that the candidate upload a W2, a letter from their former HR department on company letterhead, or an old pay stub to the Candidate Portal.

After the exception is issued, your candidate will have 7 days to provide the requested documentation. If they do not upload this documentation within the 7 day window, the report will expire and a new report must be generated, and a new invitation issued to your candidate.

Available Employment Verification options

The following Employment Verification setting options are available. The default setting is noted below and is automatically enabled on your account unless otherwise stated. Please contact Checkr Customer Support if you’d like to change these settings.

• Candidate input required: Requires candidates to input their employment history, or select None. Default is disabled.
• International upgrade: Enables international verification. Please note that this will increase both cost and turnaround time for your Screenings. Default is disabled.
• Salary: Collects salary information. Default is disabled.
• Manager contact: Collects manager contact information. Default is enabled.
• Contract type: Collects contract type. Default is enabled.
• Position matching: Requires candidate-provided title to match employer-provided title. Please note that this will increase turnaround time for your reports. Matching may be Very Strict, Strict (default), or Lenient.
• Employment lookback: Defines the number of years' employment history you will request of your candidates. Default is 1 year.
• Employment history: Defines the number of positions requested of your candidates. Default is 1 position.
• Date matching: Defines the required accuracy of candidate-provided start and end dates. May be within 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 (default) months.

Many jurisdictions have banned employers from inquiring about a candidate's salary history. Checkr helps you comply with these laws by not asking for salary information when the candidate has entered a zip code from a major state or city that bans salary history information. However, because this regulatory landscape changes frequently, our default option is not to collect salary information from candidates.

Candidate Experience

Employment Verifications may be run as a standalone Check.

Candidates will be asked to provide their employment history, including job title, manager, and location, for a client-defined number of years and previous employers.

They will then be presented and asked to acknowledge receipt of applicable forms and notifications, including Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and an Acknowledgment and Authorization for Background Check.

After the candidate consents, Checkr will initiate the verification process.

If previous employers cannot be verified, candidates may also be asked to provide a W2, a letter from their former HR department on company letterhead, or an old pay stub.

If you've applied for a job and are looking for more information on your background check’s status or progress, please log into the Checkr Candidate Portal.