History of ‘The Work Number’

Origins in the Late 1980s to 2000s

The origins of The Work Number date back to the late 1980s when the profit potential associated with manual employment verification processes. At that time, employers, lenders, landlords, and government agencies relied on more “personal” methods to verify employment and income information, such as direct contact with employers’ human resources departments or requiring pay stubs.

The Work Number was officially launched in 1985 as an automated employment and income verification service. Initially, the service targeted large employers who could benefit the most from reducing the workload associated with manual verifications. 

Throughout the 1990s, The Work Number expanded its reach by incorporating more employers and refining its technology. The service leveraged advancements in database management and telecommunications to improve the speed and reliability of verifications. This period also saw the establishment of partnerships with various industries, including finance, housing, and government, which further integrated The Work Number into critical verification processes.

In reality, given that TWN was still an offline process, it did not catch-on since it was no easier than just calling an employer and asking for the same information. 

Growth and Technological Advancements in the 2000s

The 2000s marked a significant period of growth and technological enhancement for The Work Number. As the internet became more widely accessible, The Work Number transitioned to an online platform, making it even more convenient for verifiers to access employment and income data. This shift not only increased the speed of verifications but also enhanced security measures to protect sensitive information.

During this decade, The Work Number also expanded its services to include much more detailed and comprehensive data – and became a lot more dangerous for employees. This included not just basic employment information but also detailed income records, which were crucial for lenders and other financial institutions. It was still considered a novelty service during this time, and seldomly used. 

The Work Number, which was part of an independent St.Louis-based firm named TALX, was acquired by Equifax in 2007 for $1.4 billion.

Modern Era: Integration and Ubiquity

In the 2010s and beyond, The Work Number continued to evolve with the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning. These technologies further improved the scope of data that could be synthesized, compiled, and sold to recruiters.

Today, The Work Number is used by millions of employers, employees, and verifiers. Its extensive database covers a wide range of industries, making it a comprehensive resource for employment and income verification. 

Where Does the TWN Data Come From?

A TWN report is quite comprehensive, and includes information on a job seeker’s employment dates, salary history, paystub information, health care provider, whether someone has dental insurance, and if they’ve ever filed an unemployment claim. Previously, procuring this data was illegal, but Equifax found a work-around to the system. 

How does Equifax obtain this sensitive information? With the willing aid of thousands of U.S. businesses, including much of the Fortune 500. Government agencies (as much as 80-85% of the federal civilian workforce) use the service, including schools and healthcare workers. In order to access the data, these organizations also allow a quid pro quo – they allow Equifax to tap directly into their HR systems so the credit bureau can sell the information to others. In other words, these organizations actually pay Equifax for the privilege of giving away their employees’ personal information.

Equifax also sells this data to third parties, including debt collectors and other financial services companies. 

Why do Companies Provide Our Data?

Companies sign up for The Work Number because it gives them an easy way to outsource employment verification of former workers.

Firms hate taking these calls, which usually come when a former employee is applying for a new job, because they are a costly distraction for human resources departments and open the firm up to lawsuits if someone says something disparaging about the former employee. So they contract with The Work Number, which automates the process. In exchange, firms upload their human resources data to The Work Number, which was part of an independent St.Louis-based firm named TALX until it was acquired by Equifax in 2007 for $1.4 billion.

Because the data is considered a credit report, consumers are entitled to one free report every year.
The report shows what data the report contains, and what entities have seen it.

Requesting A Free Copy

Because the data is considered a credit report, consumers are entitled to one free report every year. The report shows what data the report contains, and what entities have seen it.

Step 1: Sign up for access 

You will need to search for your current or former employer to get their “Employer’s Code” then you can gain access.  https://secure.theworknumber.talx.com/twneeer/Preauthenticated/FindEmployer.aspx

*If your employer is not listed we suggest calling the Client Service number to request a copy of your data report. 

Step 2: View your data report

Once you have signed up for access you can use the portal to view your data report. 

https://employees.theworknumber.com/employment-data-report

*If your employer is not listed we suggest calling the Client Service number to request a copy of your data report. 

Step 3: Request a copy of your data report

The easiest way to get a copy of your data report is to call the Client Service number to request a copy of your data report be sent to you via secure email or US Mail. 

Excuses Why your TWN is Frozen

Once your TWN is frozen, if a background check provider (e.g. HireRight) is using it as a reference, they will often come to you, asking about it being frozen. 

There are a number of excuses you can provide, but only one that we recommend. When you read these, keep in mind that your goal during the background check is to remain as “boring” and under-the-radar as possible. You don’t want anything interesting to happen, you want the entire experience to be forgettable for your verifier. Every single time you cause them some concern, or make up an excuse that sounds strange, you work against yourself, especially if you are lying or are planning on working overemployed.

Excuse #1 – Acting Dumb

“Huh? What’s a Work Number?”

This is the excuse that we recommend you use – because it is the most reasonable response by someone that is not lying.

Think about the time you first learned about the Work Number. You were most likely researching ways to do overemployment or fabricating something on your resume. By and large, the TWN remains a mystery for most of the job-seeking population, and it is actually unusual for you to know about TWN to begin with. So if you are lying, and froze your TWN, why not simply act like someone that has never heard of TWN to begin with? 

And then, if the recruiter explains it you, sound interested. “Really, they have reports that can pull that information? I had absolutely no idea.” 

And if the recruiter asks you to unfreeze it: “I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Isn’t this something you have to do on your end?”

99/100 times, the verifier is just going to give up and move on… or even more likelier, they will blame it on a reporting error on their end, since you clearly did not freeze it. 

And if for some reason they insist on you unfreezing your account, telling them, “Absolutely! I’ll get right on it!”. Then wait two days, and tell them, “I’m sorry, I tried, I spent an hour on the phone and no one would help me. The website provided does not allow me to login. I have no idea how to do this.” This is actually not really a lie, because their customer service is absolutely terrible on the employee side (they have fantastic customer service for recruiters though). 

Remember, the TWN is only one method they have at their disposal to verify your background, so they’ll just use those methods and skip the TWN.

Excuse #2 – Right to Privacy

“I am concerned about identity theft and have blocked the release of all my personal information.”

This one has worked for people, and on the surface, it sounds reasonable. But the problem is, in the recruiter’s mind, they think that TWN is a completely innocent service (they wouldn’t use it otherwise). Read the marketing materials from Equifax – they paint this as a clear win-win for the employer and the job candidate. 

So if TWN is a great service for the job candidate, why would you be concerned about your privacy?

It’s just a psychology question there. If they like you enough, they just accept it and move on. But it does sound strange, and a recruiter will naturally think that the reason you froze it is because you are lying. You can give excuses that are reasonable, but recruiters are unreasonable people, and they could exploit any red flag you give them.

Excuse #3 – “I have a Stalker”

This has been used in a few cases, and it seems to always come off as contrived and suspicious. While there are probably real-life cases where this is true, recruiters are going to instantly start asking questions about this. Are you comfortable telling a complete fable about this? Or just telling them, “It’s private” as though that isn’t going to sound even more suspicious? 

I would not recommend using this excuse.

Excuse #4 – Victim of Identity Theft

“I was the victim of identity theft and have blocked all personal information upon the advice of your attorney”.

This is a reasonable excuse, and a lot of recruiters will understand. It has reportedly worked for people in the over-employed community. However, it will still raise an eyebrow. 

They might still ask you to unfreeze it. In that case, you might respond as follows: 

“I keep my credit report frozen as a standard practice. I only unfreeze it as-needed, such as when making a purchase.

I’ve not yet had an employer request I unfreeze it for a background check. I would consider consenting to a short availability window if non-negotiable, however I would actively push back due to privacy concerns.”