What Is The Work Number Employment Verification?

The Work Number from Equifax is an automated employment and income verification service. It gives authorized verifiers secure, real-time access to payroll information from CoAd Pay, helping employees qualify for loans, credit, housing and public assistance.

How The Work Number works

The Work Number provides authorized verifiers with instant access to employment and payroll information. By delivering data directly from payroll records, it streamlines verification requests, improves accuracy, and maintains data security. For employers, it improves speed and accuracy while reducing the manual work of answering verification requests.

What to do if you receive a verification request

If you are contacted by a lender, creditor, government agency or another verifier, direct them to www.theworknumber.com.

Note: Most verifiers already use The Work Number and may check the database before contacting you. However, they may still reach out directly if they are unaware that your organization participates in the service.

Who can access information from The Work Number

• Information provided through The Work Number is considered a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
• Only vetted and approved verifiers with a permissible purpose under the FCRA can access data.
• For income verification requests, verifiers must also certify that they have obtained the employee's consent.
• A verifier is typically a lender, property manager, government agency, or another organization with a permissible purpose under the FCRA to confirm an individual's employment or income information.

What information a verifier can obtain

The information available depends on the purpose of the request. For example:

• Employers may verify prior employment for hiring purposes.
• Mortgage lenders may verify income and employment for loan approval.
• Government agencies may verify income eligibility for public assistance programs.

How The Work Number protects data security

The Work Number uses multiple layers of security, including verifier credentialing, multi-factor authentication, auditing, and ongoing monitoring of data access. By centralizing and automating the verification process, it also helps reduce the risk of fraudulent requests, unauthorized disclosures, and reporting errors.

Frequently asked questions

How does an employer get The Work Number?

The Work Number is available as a value-added service through CoAd Pay, which partners with Equifax.

Is there a cost for employers or employees?

No. Participating employers receive the service at no cost, and employees do not pay to have their employment or income information verified when applying for loans, credit, housing, or government benefits.

If the service is free for employers and employees, who pays for it?

Authorized verifiers pay a fee to access employment and income verifications. They value the speed, convenience, and accuracy of obtaining verified payroll data 24/7 without having to contact employers directly.

How do employees consent to having their income information shared?

For income verification requests, verifiers must certify that they have the employee's consent before accessing income information through The Work Number.

How do employees benefit from The Work Number?

It helps employees qualify for loans, credit, housing, and government benefits more quickly by providing timely verification of employment and income. It also adds a layer of privacy, because verifications can be completed without direct employer involvement in personal financial transactions.