It’s likely that it’s happening to you!
Intentionally or unintentionally, millions of companies allow private employee data to be sold, where it can be accessed by others — in many cases, without their knowledge.
Work-related data is frequently leveraged by government agencies, debt collectors, and other third parties — often without notifying the employee or receiving their consent.
The process is legal, but it’s not clearly disclosed. Most people don’t understand it and think it’s just plain wrong.
The good news: MyEmployment is here to help you understand this issue and take control of your data.
In this guide, we will help you:
- Check if your employer is sharing your data
- Get your personal employment data report
- Ask your employer to implement a more transparent and ethical employment verification process
- Make your voice heard.
But First… A Little Background Information
Most employment verifications in the United States are handled by third-party data brokers. The largest of these is The Work Number® (a registered trademark of Equifax).
According to The Work Number’s own website: Nearly 4.2 million employers contribute employment and income data, directly or through payroll providers, to The Work Number database.
That means your data could be in The Work Number’s system — even if your HR department has never heard of the company. That’s because payroll providers that feed into companies like The Work Number include contractual provisions to automatically share your data.
Here are the steps to take to check if your employment information is being shared and gain control over your work-related data.
Step 1: See If Your Employer Shares Employee Data
Check if your employer – either directly or through their payroll provider – has shared your employment data with The Work Number.
Step 2: Request Your Employment Data Report from The Work Number
If you’re interested in what information they have, request your free copy. It will show you:
- What’s been collected about you
- Who has accessed it
- The types of requests made.
Step 3: Ask Your Employer to Switch to MyEmployment
If you want control of your employment data, ask your former and current employers to switch to MyEmployment.
We’ve built a privacy-first employment verification platform that puts you in control.
When your employer uses MyEmployment, you can expect:
- Notifications when someone requests your data
- A personal dashboard to manage your sharing preferences
- The ability to block entire categories of requesters, such as debt collectors or social services
- Automatic approvals for trusted verifiers, such as mortgage companies and auto lenders
- Complete transparency about every request made related to your information.
With MyEmployment, you’re in control.
Simply share a link to our website with your manager or human resource representative.
Step 4: Spread the word
Copy one of the social posts below and share it via your favorite social media platform. Most people have no idea this is happening — until someone like you tells them.
X | Threads | Facebook:
Just found out my job info is being shared through a system I never signed up for.
Learn how to check yours and take back control.
#MyEmployment #EmploymentPrivacy #DataRights
@MyEmploymentHQ
TikTok | Instagram Caption:
Just checked my employment data… turns out it’s being shared without me ever knowing.
This needs to be talked about.
#EmploymentPrivacy #MyEmployment #KnowYourRights
LinkedIn:
Millions of employees are having their employment data accessed by third parties — often without knowing.
I checked mine and took back control. You can too.
#PrivacyMatters #DataTransparency #MyEmployment
The Bottom Line
Employment data is being shared and accessed more than ever — and most people are in the dark. That’s not okay.
At MyEmployment, we’re committed to:
- Pulling back the curtain on the use of employment verification data
- Giving you control over your data
- Helping employers transition to a solution that is more ethical and consumer privacy centric.
Let’s build a system that works for people, not just platforms.
