Your credit report dictates many important aspects of your life, such as your ability to receive a loan, certain jobs, and your ability to obtain housing. Because you care about all the factors of your credit report, it is important to know how to protect it. A finance report taken in 2017 stated that 76% of all complaints that credit bureaus receive deal with complaints regarding incorrect information on reports. This is cause for concern, especially when it deals with your employment report.
What is Your Employment Report and Why Is It Significant?
When you think of your credit report, you probably think about what you see in front of you as you browse websites such as TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. However, another worrying aspect is the fact that your report could be sold to your employer, which is known as an employment report. If the report lists inaccurate information, this can lead to detrimental results that you might not even consider until it is too late.
More and more often, employers have been utilizing your consumer records to screen you as a job applicant and make promotion decisions based on what they see. These reports contain important information, such as the past places you have worked, your criminal record, public records, and more. As you can see, it can mean trouble if any of this information is incorrect. For instance, what if a criminal record shows up on your report even though you have never been arrested in the past because your information was confused with another individual? This could keep you from obtaining employment and become a huge deal in your personal life.
Rights You Have Against False Employment Reports
Luckily, you have many rights and options when you believe that what appears on your employment report is incorrect. You have many protections under the law, which include the following aspects:
- All employment records must meet the highest standard of accuracy and all information must be correct.
- Employers must receive your permission before they are permitted to move forward with a background check.
- You will be given a copy of your report exactly as the employer saw it, and a summary of your rights if you believe that there is incorrect information.
- An employer must notify a consumer when they are denied a job due to an employment report.
- You will be permitted to dispute any information that is incorrect.
Typically, disputing this information will be laid out to you directly from the reporting company. You can personally request that information is removed from your employment record that is incorrect by going online and disputing the record. There are many steps that must be taken so that your rights are upheld at this time.
Receiving More Information Regarding Your Employment Record
Do you believe that your employment record involved incorrect information and now you are looking to dispute this information because it caused you to lose out on opportunities? With the protection of an experienced attorney, you can move forward during this difficult and confusing time. Contact us at Katz, Kantor, Stonestreet & Buckner for more information at (304) 713-2014.