Hacker News Reader

Comment by dajohnson89 | Hacker News Reader

The problem is, recruiters/hiring managers will sometimes call your former employer to verify your actual salary.

Do any employers actually provide that information? The most I've ever had any previous employer ever say about my time there is, "Eric worked here from $start_date to $end_date." I understand there to be liability involved if they say anything more.

Yeah that has always been my understanding as well. Past employers are only allowed to say yes or no to you working there if asked.

Where this comes from I don't know. I'm sure there is a law that this common belief comes from.

Past employers can say whatever they want. They open themselves up to legal liability in doing so, though, with basically no value to themselves. Theoretically as long as they're telling the truth, there is no legal liability. In reality it's more nuanced. e.g. An employer who reveals that a former employee was absent a lot might be sued successfully if the absence was within the company's sick day policy, or the reason was a disability.

Saying nothing is the safest choice. Most employers only confirm employment as a courtesy to their former employees.

> Most employers only confirm employment as a courtesy to their former employees.

Lie. It's to cover their arse from lawsuits.

Not sure what you mean. Employers would prefer to give no information about previous employees, specifically "to cover their arse from lawsuits". They confirm employment dates as a courtesy because it can be difficult to get a job without confirmation of previous employment.

Tangentially, it's really abrasive and generally unnecessary to start a comment by calling someone a liar. You can disagree with me here, and that's totally fine. To call me a liar for holding a different opinion than you makes you seem really petty. Arguing about the reason companies will disclose employment history doesn't seem to be the time to break out this sort of accusation.

I've had a reference disclose my salary (UK)

If your former employer releases salary information without your consent, sue them into the ground.

What's the law that says they can't do that?

I've had recruiters on two occassions ask for ph# of former employers, saying they just wanted to verify dates of employment and salary.

Here's what I don't understand about this argument - if you're negotiating for a new job, wouldn't the implication be that your current employer is not aware of it? And that any contact for this kind of information by your potential new employer would be an obvious breach of that secrecy?

Do you all quit your jobs before you find new ones? What am I missing here?

How often do employers give that out? Are you telling me I can tell how much my friends used to make?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com