The Work Number®: Supporting Today’s “On-Demand” Consumer

IN TODAY’S ECONOMY, digital and “IRL” are one and the same - nearly every transaction can be done online and in a fraction of the time it would take “in real life.” As consumers, we expect instant gratification - from making purchases online with a single click to getting quick approval for a mortgage to secure our dream home (before someone else does).

As with online shopping, more meaningful life events such as leasing an apartment, starting a new job or applying for government benefits, can be enhanced with data as well. That’s where consumer databases such as The Work Number® come in to deliver instant, digital employment and income verifications that can help those important processes move forward quickly. The Work Number significantly reduces the amount of work required on your end to gather up all the paperwork you would need to provide proof of employment or income.

Here’s what you need to know about The Work Number and your employment and income data: 

 

Who can access my data? 

First, you should know that your data on The Work Number isn’t available to just anyone who wants to see it. In fact, access is tightly restricted - under federal law - to “credentialed verifiers,” such as lenders, background screeners, property managers and government agencies, who also have a “permissible purpose” to access your data. 

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), any verifier requesting your employment and/or income information must first undergo a thorough credentialing process prior to accessing The Work Number. Then, they must prove they have a legal permissible purpose before accessing your data. Often, you as the consumer give permission to an approved verifier to access information from The Work Number. For example, if you are seeking a new job, lease or credit card, you usually complete an application that gives the “green light” to the verifier accessing your information. 

And with The Work Number, you can rest assured that your personal data is not being sold to data brokers or other entities for additional purposes beyond the scope of the FCRA or for marketing.

 

Why would someone want to verify my data? 

Typically, a verification request starts as part of a process that you - the consumer - initiate. For example, when you complete an application for:  

• A loan

• Government benefits (such as food stamps or Medicaid) 

• Leasing an apartment 

• A job 

• A credit card 

• Leasing a car 

In these cases, the verifier may want to confirm your employment and, in some cases, your income as part of the application process. And an instant verification from The Work Number can help that process move forward more quickly.

Without The Work Number database, you would likely need to provide additional paperwork, which could include letters from previous employers, payroll slips, proof of residence, bank statements and more. Instead, The Work Number provides instant verification with little to no work required by you.

 

How do I know my data in The Work Number is accurate? 

Several factors help ensure that the data in The Work Number is accurate. To begin with,

The Work Number reports a consumer’s payroll data as provided by the employer or other data furnisher. Since most of us would notice an error in our paychecks, we would be quick to let our employer know if a correction needed to be made, and that correction would also be reflected in The Work Number. 

In addition, The Work Number requires employers and other data furnishers to report data accurately, which includes complying with any laws about what is categorized as income. The Work Number also has processes in place to help ensure the data is reported accurately, and we follow up with employers to request corrections when our processes identify errors. 

Finally, you, the consumer, can review your employment and income data to confirm its accuracy.

 

How can I check my data on The Work Number?

We encourage you to log in to view your data on the “My Personal Data” section of our website to access your Employment Data Report. This report shows what data of yours is on The Work Number as well as the names of any verifiers that have requested your information in the last 24 months. In the unlikely event that you find an error, we encourage you to use that website to initiate a data dispute so we can help make it right. You also have the option of requesting a data freeze at any time and at no cost.

To learn more about The Work Number, please visit employees.theworknumber.com.