Creditors can check your 'Work Number' |
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As for the records themselves, "I look at it as a reality of our age," says Evan Hendricks, author of "Credit Scores & Credit
Reports" and publisher of The Privacy Times newsletter. "This is straightforward information showing that you had the job and what it is."
At the same time, he says, "there are dangers: accuracy, data security, hacking or authorized users looking for an unauthorized
purpose."
TALX has taken a number of precautions to prevent those problems, says Ford. "We employ the strictest standards with regard
to security," she says.
In most cases, she says, TALX can
complete credentialing within 24 hours.
Before receiving any information, verifiers have to provide the Social Security number of the person whose record is being
pulled, along with a "permissible purpose" -- a reason to view the data that matches with the credentialed company's business.
In addition, TALX will not sell repackaged data on identifiable individuals, says Ford. "We do not sell it to anybody to use
for marketing," she says. Their agreements with employers "allow for data to be used for demographics," but only after records have been stripped
of any personal information like names and Social Security numbers, she says.
Check your 'Work Number'
TALX abides by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, says Ford.
That means you can request a free copy of your Work
Number records every year. That file will also tell you who has
been looking at your information. To get your files, you can print
out a request form and mail it in
or call (866) 604-6570.
Ford says the number of consumer disputes is "very small," despite more than 600,000 record checks each month. The company has had a dispute process in place for a little over a year and in that time it has had about 150 disputes, she says.
The employee can dispute information, and the company will investigate by contacting the employer who supplied the data. During
the investigation, which is completed within 30 days, the company won't allow access to the disputed information.
If the employer reports the information is inaccurate, it is changed and the employee is notified. The employee also can request
that the corrected information be forwarded to companies that have recently viewed the inaccurate information.
If the employer reports that the information is correct, the employee will be notified and has the option of adding a note to
the file explaining the discrepancy.
If the employer doesn't respond, the company will add a notation to the file stating the employee's concerns.
The issue of corrections can be tricky for current and former employees.
First, a job seeker might fear tipping off a current employer. Second, former employers may not be willing or able (if the
company is no longer in business) to correct past mistakes.
In the current dispute system, it appears that the employer would have the final word, says Swire. "But as these databases
become so important to individuals, it's important to have effective consumer redress."
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