Asking doesn't hurt anyone.
However giving certain answers could.
What prevents employees from claiming that this information is "confidential" (polite version of "it's not your business").
Or outright lying about it?
What prevents employees from claiming that this information is "confidential" (polite version of "it's not your business").
Or outright lying about it?
Claiming the information is confidential may hurt your chances of getting the job, or simply get the "we need this information or we can't continue, sorry, it's policy" answer.
Lying about it benefits the liars (assuming they lie intelligently). I suspect that offers are frequently based on previous pay, so simply claiming your previous pay was higher would get you a better offer. Is lying really the behavior we want to incentivize?
Oh gosh. You make it sound bad that way! It's not 'lying', it is 'strategic disinformation'.
Turn this question to your advantage to "test waters" on the opposite side.
Especially if, in the course of a job interview, they're afraid it could count against them, not to disclose that information.
The new employer doesn't need to know it, best to make blanket rule that prohibits them from trying to get it.
When we discussed it they said it was necessary so they could verify if I had lied about my salary when I'd given it previously. I pointed out that I had never given this information. HR insisted that I must have since they require it. Round and round we went for a while.
Eventually they let it go and hired me anyway.
So to answer your question. Companies will typically call up your previous employer and ask if the salary you provided them is correct.
Lying on your application form is almost always cause to fire. So if they ever find out you lied you about your previous salary you can be fired on the spot.
Very unlikely. I don't know a single company that would reply to that request. That's sky high in terms of liability.
> Lying on your application form is almost always cause to fire. So if they ever find out you lied you about your previous salary you can be fired on the spot.
You drank the HR FUD too much. A company doesn't go through all the troubles to hire someone just to get rid of him the next week for some stupid forms that noone cares about.