> Equifax is now receiving records every pay period from 2.5 million companies. Information in the reports comes from employers and payroll processors.

But why do employers and payroll processors give any data to Equifax? I can understand that credit card issuers, and mortgage and auto lenders want to know the credit worthiness of people they'll give credit to, and those types of businesses are likely required to share their own customers' info if they want to participate. But what benefit does the typical employer get by talking with Equifax at all? And why wouldn't an employer demand that their payroll processor not share anything with Equifax? (Their executives and founders presumably want some privacy for themselves.)

I'm going out on a limb here and try to guess the reason: Is it because typical employees want their employer to share the info so they'll be seen as having income and therefore it's easier for them to get credit cards and mortgages and auto loans? And if this is the reason, how did this situation arise; did some employees petition their company to share info? Or did the company think it was doing a favor for its employees by giving them an employment history on Equifax?