Can companies get information about potential hires from their PPS numbers?

Question_Mark

Say you went on the dole for a few months, can a big company find this out in a background check?

I searched around for information on this and can't find anything except vague and ominous comments like "if you know the right people you can access a lot with a PPS".

Question_Mark

I should add that I found this on dataprotection.ie:

"An employer should only seek your PPSN if you are successful at the recruitment process and are actually taking up employment with the organisation. An employer requires the PPSN of each employee for Revenue purposes. There is no basis for a prospective employer to capture a candidate's PPSN at the application stage."


In that case, same question applies; what information about you can they get with the PPSN?

Stheno

Question_Mark wrote: »

Say you went on the dole for a few months, can a big company find this out in a background check?

I searched around for information on this and can't find anything except vague and ominous comments like "if you know the right people you can access a lot with a PPS".

No, it's data which is protected by the DSP.

Are you being asked to undergo a background check for a role? If you are, then you will be required to disclose what you were doing during periods between jobs.

the last time I had one I was required to supply them a letter from the DSP for a two month period where I was unemployed to confirm that I was actually unemployed and on social welfare.

testicle

Data Protection says no. If someone in Revenue/Social Protection is prepared to put their job on the line, and ignore the Data Protection Act, risking a conviction, then yes.

Question_Mark

Thank you for the speedy replies.

@ Stheno yep I have a background check coming up. You said:

"I was required to supply them a letter from the DSP for a two month period where I was unemployed to confirm that I was actually unemployed and on social welfare."

Wow that's interesting. What if you were unemployed and chose to forgo social welfare? It's perplexing to me that they asked for this letter. Why would anyone lie about being unemployed and on social welfare, or am I missing something?

Stheno

Question_Mark wrote: »

Thank you for the speedy replies.

@ Stheno yep I have a background check coming up. You said:

"I was required to supply them a letter from the DSP for a two month period where I was unemployed to confirm that I was actually unemployed and on social welfare."

Wow that's interesting. What if you were unemployed and chose to forgo social welfare? It's perplexing to me that they asked for this letter. Why would anyone lie about being unemployed and on social welfare, or am I missing something?

Because anything you tell them about what you were doing has to be proven. Just saying "I was unemployed/on social welfare" wasn't enough they needed proof. Same for anyone on maternity leave, in that circumstance you were required to submit the childs birth cert, and if you were travelling they wanted proof of travelling. This place doing the check were anal, I gave them references for multiple jobs, and they seperately rang the HR depts of each job to double check what my references said.

Is it an Irish company? And do you know who is doing the background check? My background check was done by a specialist company in the UK who conduct background checks on behave of other companies.

Question_Mark

Stheno wrote: »

Because anything you tell them about what you were doing has to be proven. Just saying "I was unemployed/on social welfare" wasn't enough they needed proof. Same for anyone on maternity leave, in that circumstance you were required to submit the childs birth cert, and if you were travelling they wanted proof of travelling. This place doing the check were anal, I gave them references for multiple jobs, and they seperately rang the HR depts of each job to double check what my references said.

Is it an Irish company? And do you know who is doing the background check? My background check was done by a specialist company in the UK who conduct background checks on behave of other companies.

Thanks for the great reply Stheno. I have a potentially awkward question: I did a few months of cash-in-hand work (off the books), and I don't want to get the guy I worked for in trouble. Do you think this would be a problem if I put this work on my CV?

Stheno

Question_Mark wrote: »

Thanks for the great reply Stheno. I have a potentially awkward question: I did a few months of cash-in-hand work (off the books), and I don't want to get the guy I worked for in trouble. Do you think this would be a problem if I put this work on my CV?

The company is a consulting company based in Dublin (beginning with A...), and I don't know whether they use an external company to do the background check or if they do it themselves.

Was it on the c.v. that you already submitted before you went for interview?

They most likely use a third party to do their background checks tbh.

They will not be looking to check if you worked cash in hand or paid tax, they will be looking to confirm that the information you previously gave them is correct.

Question_Mark

Ok cool. Yes that's correct, it was on the CV.

You know your stuff, could I ask you one last question- what about medical records?
The company says (on its website) that the data they collect on you (as part of deciding whether to hire you) will include data about your health where it's relevant "to your ability/availability to work".

What can they get about your medical records? The thought is disturbing enough...

I can't find a list online of what background checks entail, besides vague platitudes.

Stheno

Question_Mark wrote: »

Ok cool. Yes that's correct, it was on the CV.

You know your stuff, could I ask you one last question- what about medical records?
The company says (on its website) that the data they collect on you (as part of deciding whether to hire you) will include data about your health where it's relevant "to your ability/availability to work".

What can they get about your medical records? The thought is disturbing enough...

I can't find a list online of what background checks entail, besides vague platitudes.

They can deal with the medical side in one of the following ways:

1. Ask you to do a medical with a doctor of their choice.
2. Ask you to complete a form relating to your medical history
3. Ask you to get your doctor to complete a form relating to your medical history.

They cannot get your medical records, you have to either agree to attend a company medical, or agree to complete the form/have your doctor complete it.

Again, any medicals I've had, they ask about any known medical conditions, any operations/hospital attendance etc

Some will do a urine test for drugs, and then there is an overall check of your blood pressure, height/weight, pulse etc.

I've had one such medical for IBM which would mirror what the company you are doing it for.

The last background check I had was done by a company in the UK who required permission to do the following:

1. Validate five years of education and employment (and periods of non employment)
2. Grant permission to do a credit check (they can't actually do that here unless they are a member of the ICB, it's different in the UK)
3. Grant permission for a criminal background check (again they can't actually do that here unless they are registered as vetters with the Guards, it's different than the UK)

That was for a contract role, I didn't have a medical.

Question_Mark

Damn, Stheno, if only a fraction of posters online could be as helpful and awesome as you. Many thanks for the excellent input, I appreciate it.

Question_Mark

Back again, with one last question! Figure if I don't ask now I might miss you next time: Do employers know if you have been on social welfare/jobseekers? Can they ask you, and confirm it?

Stheno

Question_Mark wrote: »

Back again, with one last question! Figure if I don't ask now I might miss you next time: Do employers know if you have been on social welfare/jobseekers? Can they ask you, and confirm it?

They won't automatically know, but as I already posted they can ask you to provide proof of what you were doing when not in employment, such as attending an educational course, drawing social welfare, travelling etc.

You need to consent to provide them with the information.

However if you don't want to do so, they can chose to rescind any offer, and not complete the background check, which means no job.

In terms of data protection and what information about you can be accessed by employers, Ireland is very rigid in protecting people on this.

In the UK any employer can use a background checking company to do a criminal record check, and credit check information is much more freely available. We have very tight controls in comparison

Question_Mark

That's really good info to know. This has been eye opening. I don't want to bore you to death with an avalanche of tedious questions, buuttt: Is there any particular accepted way to verify proof of travelling (absent passport stamps)?

I did some traveling (Germany, Sweden, eastern europe) but I'm not sure what I have to prove it, besides photos, and maybe the word of the people I stayed with

Stheno

Question_Mark wrote: »

That's really good info to know. This has been eye opening. I don't want to bore you to death with an avalanche of tedious questions, buuttt: Is there any particular accepted way to verify proof of travelling (absent passport stamps)?

I did some traveling (Germany, Sweden, eastern europe) but I'm not sure what I have to prove it, besides photos, and maybe the word of the people I stayed with

TIckets, hotel reservations etc

You could provide contact details of those with whom you stayed.

Generally any background check I've had doesn't need to verify periods of less than two months where you are not employed however.

Question_Mark

Great! I completely forgot about hotel reservations and the like, I have those in my emails.

I will bid you goodnight Stheno, assuming you're in Ireland. Cheers again for the help :-)

Nichard Dixon

Question_Mark wrote: »

That's really good info to know. This has been eye opening. I don't want to bore you to death with an avalanche of tedious questions, buuttt: Is there any particular accepted way to verify proof of travelling (absent passport stamps)?

I did some traveling (Germany, Sweden, eastern europe) but I'm not sure what I have to prove it, besides photos, and maybe the word of the people I stayed with

Airline tickets etc, hotel bills, even ATM withdrawals abroad are evidence.

Mrs OBumble

Question_Mark wrote: »

Is there any particular accepted way to verify proof of travelling (absent passport stamps)?

A really anal organisation will only accept boarding passes. I can name one (overseas) health insurance company that had this policy.

(Hmm, that was in the days when they were only printed by the airlines. Now that any Joe Schumck can print them at home, things may have changed.)

Question_Mark

That's incredible. Jeez. As Stheno mentioned proof or travel would be for extended travel, is there a hard and fast rule about how much travel requires proof? Two months was mentioned. Is this a general rule of thumb, or...?

Stheno

Question_Mark wrote: »

That's incredible. Jeez. As Stheno mentioned proof or travel would be for extended travel, is there a hard and fast rule about how much travel requires proof? Two months was mentioned. Is this a general rule of thumb, or...?

Less than two months didn't require proof on my last check

jenjoeful

Hi

I've just accepted a job in London (really excited). They are doing a 'Verafile' background check on me, which also includes references.
I'm pretty ok with this, but I don't know what they are going to be looking at, or for.
No lies on my CV. I mention I have done a course in 2016, it's finished shortly, before I start job, I did say in the interview I had to finish it so that's ok. But I can't help but feel uncomfortable with the whole thing, although as I said I've nothing to hide.

So my thoughts on this is they will be checking the following:
1. Job references (how many jobs though, i've 3 on my CV and how in-depth?)
2. Educational proof (how in depth, that will they need, certs or what?)

What else? Should I be concerned?

Mrs OBumble

jenjoeful wrote: »

Should I be concerned?

No.

If you're working in jobs or industries where this sort of checking is done, then you just have to get used to it.

Start now keeping detailed notes of where you lived and worked, and copies of certificates of service (letter you can ask for when you leave a company, stating your details of service). Keep them along with your notes about your referees names and contact details. Ideally in a back-ed up place.

Stheno

jenjoeful wrote: »

Hi

I've just accepted a job in London (really excited). They are doing a 'Verafile' background check on me, which also includes references.
I'm pretty ok with this, but I don't know what they are going to be looking at, or for.
No lies on my CV. I mention I have done a course in 2016, it's finished shortly, before I start job, I did say in the interview I had to finish it so that's ok. But I can't help but feel uncomfortable with the whole thing, although as I said I've nothing to hide.

So my thoughts on this is they will be checking the following:
1. Job references (how many jobs though, i've 3 on my CV and how in-depth?)
2. Educational proof (how in depth, that will they need, certs or what?)

What else? Should I be concerned?

If you Google verifile it will take you to their site which details what they check

Jambori

Stheno wrote: »

If you Google verifile it will take you to their site which details what they check

Hey guys, just have a quick question. I'll have to do a background check soon. I have been unemployed for the past 8 months but not on the dole. I wasn't doing anything of note during this time. Does anyone know what I can say in my background check for this period?