Verifying Wage Info, Employees Lying: Ethical problem!

System

I would really like to hear everyone's opinions on this. Calls constantly come in requesting verification of wages for loans, vehicle or home purchases, apartment rentals, etc. Reception still hasn't figured out who does what, so when in doubt, I get the call. Do you confirm pay information if, for example, the requestor faxes you something written? Do any of you confirm the amount the employee claims to make? Last Friday a call came in from a car dealership, and this guy asked to verify employment. I confirmed that the customer worked for us, and he asked me what the guy makes. He offered an amount, MUCH higher than the employee actually earns. I told him I couldn't confirm that information, and he thanked me and hung up. I can't stand it when I'm lied to, and I hate dishonesty, but I didn't correct the amount the employee claimed to be making. What would you have done?

durasupreme

I only verify dates of employment and position held over the phone. I only verify wage information if I have the signed authorization of the employee (or former employee). Most places will be more than happy to fax you the ee's authorization for release of that information.

Don D

I agree with that 100%. I've never advocated responding to such requests over the phone. First it's too time consuming and tends to manage our time; secondly, ex-spouses, lawyers, other employer reps and nosey relatives often 'pose' as loan officers requesting such information. Always require the written/faxed authorization form and get to it sometime that day, with no absolute sense of urgency like a phone call requires of you. With the car dealer call, you might have just told him, "Tell your customer to show you his last pay stub".

System

Real good advice, Don, about the pay stub. I wish I'd thought of that! I'll suggest that in future, and having something in writing helps, too. I don't like to give them anything except to state that he is an active employee. Too much room like you said for someone to try to gather info to which they're not entitled!

LFernandes

I only verify dates and title over the phone and if they are still actively employed. I require written authorization to release salary information. I had one QA inspector tell the loan officer that she was a supervisor. I actually laughed at the person requesting the information and told them her correct title. It's amazing what employees will say.

Lfernandes

scottorr

We do not give out phone numbers here so we never get calls about these matters. At my last job we used to get 3 or 4 calls a day. I wouldn't give out anything without a release including title or dates of employment much less salary. Here we only receive paper requests. I like it much better.

Pattie

I often get requests for employment and wage verification. When a written request is received, with the employee's authorization, I provide the information; and it's broken out with regular earnings and any overtime/commissions/bonuses. I don't very often get telephone requests for salary confirmation. If the request is by phone, and if the wage is close to what the employee is actually making, I'll simply state that it is "fairly close". If the amount is way off, I state that I need written authorization. I would say the split is 50/50 of those that then request the information in writing. Sometimes the difference is because the employee is computing their overtime earnings in with their regular wages. So far the system has worked well.

Leslie

I had a tricky one today. The apartment complex cut and paste the employee's signature from the application to the verification of employment, which included wage. Unfortunately for them they also faxed the app when they faxed the verification. My sharp HR specialist caught the duplication. I was tempted not to give them any info, but figured if the employee wanted the apartment we could at least tell the complex he worked here.

Gracie

We release only information like dates of hire, positions titles over the phone. If salary information is required, I would request that they fax the questions over with proper authorization to release confidential information.

I had encountered several situations where I was asked if the employee was a Warehouse Manager, Electrical Engineer, Wire Specialist... when the employee worked in the warehouse as a warehouse worker! My response would be "Our HR system has this as the job title".