What background screening services show someone's salary history?

May 4, 2013 4:06 PM

I found a background check service at one point that showed a summary of each paycheck my employer issued to me, including bonuses and other payments, and I believe my Social Security number was required in order to retrieve the report. I can't locate the service again. Are there any out there that still offer such a service?
posted by scottso17 to Work & Money (7 answers total)

Best answer: The Work Number is one of the biggest providers of such data (they are part of Equifax).

In addition, I can get this data for myself through my employer's payroll portal provided by ADP (the payroll provider). Their website, which is something right out of 1997, allows me to login and view paystubs (in fact, I don't get paper paystubs) and has an interface to download W-2s. Your employer may have a similar system (or HR may be able to print off a report); just contact HR.
posted by zachlipton at 5:36 PM on May 4, 2013

I can understand payroll services making this info available to individuals whose paychecks they've processed, but how is this legal for anyone else to see?

That said, I know certain unions list staff salaries publicly, sometimes by name, other times by easily cross referencable job title codes... but believe this is required of unions and some non-profits.
posted by Unsomnambulist at 7:15 PM on May 4, 2013

Best answer: but how is this legal for anyone else to see?

Because it's not explicitly illegal for your employer to share factual information.
posted by zippy at 7:38 PM on May 4, 2013

... In the US.
posted by zippy at 7:40 PM on May 4, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Another service that does this is InVerify. But the service used based on whomever your employer has outsourced this to.
posted by vespabelle at 11:06 PM on May 4, 2013

Unsomnambulist, I see this stuff because my tenants sign a release allowing me to. In my case, it's so I can determine their housing subsidy which is based on income. I assume people sign releases for their insurance or mortgage company to get this information as well.
posted by vespabelle at 11:10 PM on May 4, 2013

The Work Number is by far the most popular service for employers to use. It will verify your employment information, including salary and salary history.
posted by magnetsphere at 8:42 AM on May 6, 2013