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Brett_Shelton · Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:20 am Post subject: "Employment Verification"

Hello,
I have a question about employment verification lines that some companies have. Last year, I left a call center position due to some bad emotional problems I was going through at the time. I left without notice due my condition, and moved in with my father while seeking treatment.

I have made several attempts to return to my former position, but to no avail. I have been told my "ineligibility for rehire" status is temporary, but beyond that I've reached a road block. However, I was told that I'm currently not eligibility for rehire because my attendance was poor (again, this was a result of my worsening mental condition). I explained this to the woman in HR, but there was nothing more she could tell me.

I have tried applying for other jobs, and have even had a couple call backs to fill out applications. However, I always list my former employer as a referrence because I don't want to hide anything, but I never receive a call back after that. Some applications also ask whether or not you are eligible for rehire, and I answer that honestly as well. When I make my weekly courtesy call to show I'm still interested, I find out that the position has already been filled.

Simply by looking on the Internet, I found out my former company has a number I can call for "employment verification." Does anybody know the extent of the information they can give out? I assume they give the dates I worked, but could they also give out the reason I left or my rehire status? I've been wanting to call and find out for myself, but I wasn't sure if only prospective employers could call or not. I would sleep a lot better if I knew the extent of the information they could give out. I would also like to have that pesky rehire status question resolved permanently.

Any help is appreciated.

lexa10881 · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 4:27 am Post subject:

The people at the employee verification hotline are probably only going to be able to verify the dates that you were employed, and a general assessment of your work performance at best [like "excellent" or "poor"]. Most likely they will just be able to verify the dates of employment. Usually any more information has to be inquired directly from a company's HR department, and they do not always answer questions, as that is the whole reason for having the employee verification line! But it sounds like someone is commenting about your history in a way somewhere that is not helping you, be it from HR or the hotline. You can inquire of HR but accept what info they give you, as getting upset can look bad. You can also try the employee line but I doubt they give you any info. Consider listing the company as a reference but also a "do not contact" and simply explain why if asked: you were having a tough time and were sick a lot. But do not go into more detail than that.

http://www.cvtips.com/hard_interview_questions.html

Brett_Shelton · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:18 pm Post subject:

Thanks, that is very helpful advice. I will list my former employer on all future applications, but will put "do not contact" as you suggested. Hopefully I can at least get an interview from there.

Speaking of my former company's HR department, I've talked to three different people in HR over the past year and all three have been very vague and reluctant to further elaborate on the details of my work performance or my rehire status. Is there a specific reason why they are so tight-lipped?

I will try the employment verification line today, if for no other reason than to see what information they are able to give out about me.

Brett_Shelton · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:28 pm Post subject:

Okay, I called the employment verification line and was referred to a Web site known as "The Work Number." I was given a company code to log in with, along with my own personal usercode and passcode to access my file.

I tried it once, but it said my information was incorrect. I called back thinking I might have wrote the username and password down incorrectly, and was given the same username and password I had written down to begin with.

I then checked the "Lost your pin?" box, and preceded to allow the system to look me up. I entered my social security number, full name, and address, and the system said it still couldn't find me.

I can't get anywhere with this company!

linda001b · Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:53 pm Post subject:

I know that here in the state of New Jersey most employers will only verify dates of employment to cover themselves.

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