If you’re looking for Saint Clair County, IL employment verification services, chances are you’re wondering if employment verification is even necessary. Besides adding time and hassle to the experience of hiring someone, it can feel simpler to just skip the process altogether. But is skipping employment verification acting with your employees’ best interests at heart?

Employment verification is the process of confirming an employee’s status and employment history. This can be done by contacting the employee’s previous employers, or by reviewing employment documents such as pay stubs or W-2 forms. In some cases, employment verification can also be done over the phone. Employment verification is often required for things like obtaining a mortgage or applying for a new job. Let’s take a closer look at what employment verification is and how it works!

There are all sorts of reasons why someone might want to verify your employment status—from prospective new career opportunities to government agencies to money lenders! Generally speaking, employment verification is part of a larger background check that may investigate a person’s credit history and other details.

When it comes to verifying a person’s employment, there are several primary forms that come up. The first is an I-9 Form from the IRS which indicates an individual’s suitability to work in the United States as a legal worker.

Another document sometimes required is a Proof of Employment Letter (PoE) or an Employment Verification Letter. The intention behind this document is to verify that a person has in fact worked for a company at the position they’ve claimed to have worked for them.

On the other hand, a person can acquire an Unemployment Verification Form when they have been terminated without reason. While the process takes significantly longer, employers can contest their terminated employee’s claims on the Unemployment Verification Form.

While no laws currently exist that make employment verification before hiring mandatory, in fields like medicine where lives could be at stake, it is generally good practice. However, it is important to keep in mind that the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has made it illegal to withhold information based on non-job-related factors like sex, race, or other socioeconomic characteristics.

As previously alluded to, there are all sorts of reasons why a company might seek to verify your employment history. Typically, however, employment verification comes as a part of a larger background check. This can be for prospective employers, landlords and property owners, money lenders, government agencies interested in immigration history, job recruiters, and more. Verifying a person’s employment history doesn’t just have to be about making sure they are as qualified as they say they are, however—it can also be a point of interest for a salary offer, so an employer knows how much to increase their worker’s salary!

There are several ways to go about verifying a person’s employment history. One method is what’s known as a reference call, during which an inquirer may seek verbal confirmation from a previous employer that the candidate did, in fact, work for them as described. This method is considered relatively informal, though it is faster than some other forms of employment verification, which are mentioned in the following section.

Because employment verification is usually a small part of a larger background check, it can take a few days to clear. However, if it is specifically the employment verification an entity is after, they may streamline the process by several other methods of employment verification. These include:

1.     An employment verification letter: This letter comes from the previous or current employer containing details about the employee’s wage, job duties, and relevant history. This letter must be on the company letterhead, and it’s best if all the details match a candidate’s resume.

2.     Records of previous agreements and contracts: Some agencies will look for previous contracts between their person of interest and an employer to determine if they did in fact work for them. Typically, however, previous contracts are requested in conjunction with further proof of employment, such as a verification letter.

3.     Reference Check/Phone Call: A company or government agency might call a previous employer for verbal confirmation that their previous employee did work there in the past. This is considered a less formal means of verifying employment but it is often the fastest way to verify a person’s employment history.

4.     Asking for pay stubs: For an entity interested in your salary in addition to your employment history, pay stubs may be requested. This can also sometimes provide information regarding an employee’s previous responsibilities as well.

5.     Formal background check: For an entity curious to uncover a fuller account of a prospective employee’s history, some will spring for a formal background check. Most of the time, a background check will cover everything from credit history to employment history.

While employment verification is not strictly speaking a required step that employers must take in order to see a candidate’s suitability for employment, it can go a long way towards determining appropriate salaries, verifying an employee’s credibility, and understanding their current skills and capabilities. When it comes to hiring someone, information is power—and the more you can understand about a candidate for employment, the better you will be able to work with them.

Are you looking for Saint Clair County, IL employment verification services to groom your next round of applicants? Contact Alpha and Omega Background Screening Solutions today for a consultation!