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The Work Number · Employment and income verification

Wrong job or income data on The Work Number?

The Work Number, run by Equifax Workforce Solutions, tells employers, lenders and government agencies where you worked and what you earned. If that data is wrong and Equifax won't fix it, the Fair Credit Reporting Act lets you sue.

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Who The Work Number is and who relies on its reports

The Work Number is an employment and income verification database. According to the CFPB, it is operated by Equifax Workforce Solutions, LLC, formerly TALX Corporation, a subsidiary of Equifax. The data comes from employers and payroll processors, and The Work Number shares it with employers, with government agencies that decide eligibility for public assistance, and with lenders reviewing credit applications.

That reach is what makes errors costly. A new employer may check your past jobs through The Work Number. A mortgage or auto lender may use it to confirm your income. A benefits agency may use it to decide whether you qualify for assistance. If the data says you earned more than you did, left a job earlier than you did, or never worked somewhere you did, the decision can go against you without anyone telling you why. The Work Number is separate from your regular Equifax credit report.

Errors that show up on Work Number reports

Your employer or its payroll provider supplies the data, and The Work Number passes it on. Mistakes can come from either step:

  • Wrong dates. A job shown as ending early, or a gap that did not exist.
  • Wrong pay. Income reported too low, or the wrong pay rate or hours.
  • Missing or extra jobs. A position you held left out, or one you never held listed.
  • Mixed files. Another person’s employment records attached to your Social Security number.
  • Wrong status. A termination reason or employment status your employer got wrong.
  • Stale income. Old payroll data presented as current, which can affect benefit eligibility and loan approvals.

How to get your Work Number file and dispute it

  1. Ask who checked. The CFPB suggests asking your employer which screening company it used. A lender or agency that relied on a report should also tell you.
  2. Request your Employment Data Report. The Work Number’s Employment Data Report page lets you request it online, by phone, or by mailing or emailing a request form. The report shows the data on file and lets you see who requested your data in the past 24 months.
  3. Start a dispute. Use The Work Number’s data dispute page. Identify each wrong item and explain the correct information.
  4. Attach proof. Pay stubs, W-2s, offer and separation letters, and anything else that shows your real dates and pay.
  5. Tell your employer too. The CFPB advises disputing with both the reporting company and the company that supplied the information.
  6. Consider a freeze. The Work Number’s site links to a data freeze option.

Your rights under the FCRA

  • Accuracy (15 U.S.C. § 1681e(b)). The Work Number must follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy of the employment and income data it reports.
  • Reinvestigation (§ 1681i). After a dispute, it must reasonably reinvestigate, free of charge, generally within 30 days, notify the employer or payroll provider that furnished the data, and correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete or unverifiable information.
  • File disclosure (§ 1681g). You may see all information in your file, its sources, and who has received it.
  • Free annual disclosure (§ 1681j). Nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies that report employment history must provide a free disclosure every 12 months on request, and you are entitled to a free copy within 60 days after an adverse action notice.
  • Employment protections (§ 1681b(b)). An employer must get your written permission before getting a report for employment purposes, and before taking adverse action based on it must give you a copy of the report and a summary of your rights.
  • Adverse action notice (§ 1681m). A lender or employer that turns you down based on a Work Number report must name the company and explain your right to a free copy and to dispute.

What you may recover

For a negligent violation, you may recover your actual damages, such as a lost job offer, a denied loan, lost or delayed benefits, and emotional distress, plus attorney’s fees and costs (15 U.S.C. § 1681o). For a willful violation, you may recover actual damages or statutory damages of $100 to $1,000, punitive damages, and fees and costs (§ 1681n).

Get a free case review

If The Work Number reported the wrong job history or income and would not correct it, act before the deadline. An FCRA lawsuit generally must be filed within two years after you discover the violation and no later than five years after it occurred (15 U.S.C. § 1681p). FCRA Attorneys represents consumers in federal court on contingency, so there is no fee unless we win. Contact us for a free case review, or read about background check errors, our FCRA practice and the other companies we cover.

Questions about suing The Work Number

Can I sue The Work Number?

Yes, if the facts support a claim. The Work Number is operated by Equifax Workforce Solutions, a consumer reporting agency. If it reports inaccurate employment or income information without reasonable procedures, or fails to reasonably reinvestigate your dispute, you may have a claim under the FCRA.

Who owns The Work Number?

According to the CFPB, The Work Number is operated by Equifax Workforce Solutions, LLC, formerly TALX Corporation, which is a subsidiary of Equifax. It is separate from your regular Equifax credit report.

How do I see what The Work Number has on me?

You can request your Employment Data Report online, by phone, or by mailing or emailing a request form, all through The Work Number's employee site. The report shows the data on file and who has requested it in the past 24 months.

What does it cost to bring a case?

There is no fee unless we win. FCRA Attorneys handles these cases on contingency, and the FCRA lets a successful consumer recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs from the company.

Sources

Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.

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