Is it normal to ask for paystubs/W2s?
I am switching jobs and I am being asked by HR at the new place to provide W2s or paystubs from my previous employers as a "background check". This really doesn't seem right. It is not illegal in my area to request these things but it is about 10 miles over in Philly. Is this weird? Am I being paranoid?
It's normal to use paycheck as a proof of employment. It is perfectly legal. How else do they find out if you are telling the truth about your current employment? Call your HR?
Yeah that's how I typically conduct these things when I was hiring - I ask for permission to call their old HR Dept and if they give it to me, I will give them a ring. I have never had an HR Dept tell me "no" to confirming a date of employment. These folks seem to have entirely skipped that part.
Is that not what those standard third party background checks are for?
I had a payslip check to confirm my salary expectations was true. Story was, to argue for my salary with HR. After I shared them, my offer was 20k less than what I was making still.
That's what I am afraid of - this is a last ditch effort to negotiate salary. I already signed salary papers but if they know I am getting a significant bump, that's incentive for them to not give me reasonable raises in my view.
No this is not a last ditch attempt to negotiate salary. By the time you initiate background check, you should already have a verbal offer. The paystubs go to the company performing the background check. You as the candidate will work with the third-party directly.
If the purpose is to check employment ... Redact every salary and tax figures from the paycheck. Your past salary shouldn't determine your new salary while changing jobs
Redact everything finance related and just leave dates. If you're not one to play corporate politics for raises, if you are finally getting seen for the value you provide (ie I saw thread pay bump is significantly high). It will show that and when you ask for raises you will get hit with how much higher it is than previous employer. Even if your TC included two side businesses. Lol learned that the hard way in my early 20s. Got my ass kicked for a few years.
Your salary info is confidential and can’t be shared. Block out the numbers and share it w them. Usually only Indian consulting sweatshops ask for paystubs
Nope. Big companies ask for paystubs too for the purpose of employment verification. HireRight (for Oracle) gave me two options - either they call my current employer (thereby alerting my manager that I am looking to switch), or I submit paychecks as proof of employment. I don't see a third way to go about it.
Yep I did a background check similarly ...but redacted the numbers
Another option is to ask for a letter to certify employment and salary income. And say it is for a credit card application or loan application
I think that is illegal in CA
You think? Is that how law works in CA?
It’s not illegal. In CA, you can’t ask what salary a person makes at a previous job until the offer letter has been signed. So a company could ask for W2’s, but couldn’t change the offered salary. W2’s are rather easy to fake, though. Not best practice IMO.
Like everyone else has said: redact. Redact so hard you make the Mueller report look like it's got full confessions of every member of the administration past and present.
Lolling
Can you just simply ask your hr to write you proof of employment letter? Or just send them the paystubs with redacted salary numbers?
I would never provide pay stubs, if I do they’d be redacted.