Employment history checks - urgent advice needed!

Calfvader

I have been a little bit dishonest in telling my prospective employers about my employment history over the last 3 years.

I have passed a couple of stages and have a final interview tomorrow. They are asking I bring any P45s from the last 3 years.

Will they be able to check with HRMC to see when I have been in employment and is that the usual way it's done?

Any ideas?

tim123456789

Do they mean P60s?

Usually an employee wouldn't have any P45s except for the most recent. Unless it has changed since I last did it, you hand it in to your new employer when you start and never see it again

Tim

Savvy_Sue

tim123456789 wrote: »

Do they mean P60s?

Usually an employee wouldn't have any P45s except for the most recent. Unless it has changed since I last did it, you hand it in to your new employer when you start and never see it again

Tim

Not quite true:

A P45 has four parts - Part 1, Part 1A, Part 2 and Part 3. Your employer sends Part 1 to HMRC and gives you the other three. When you start a new job, or claim Jobseeker's Allowance, you give Part 2 and Part 3 to your new employer or to the Jobcentre. You keep the remaining one - Part 1A - for your own records.

My emphasis ...

Mind you, I've given so many Part 1As back to colleagues who've blithely handed me Parts 1A, 2 and 3 that the OP might have mislaid theirs too. But this is why it pays NOT to be economical with the truth in these areas.

notafan

If its for a job where there's some security clearance involved working with children, airports, vulnerable people, some financial places etc then i imagine they'll be quite thorough. Sometimes as far as 5 years back.

You could always say you don't have any and then just fill in the P60 in terms of getting you on the right tax code - im not sure HMRC could just dish out your details to anyone who asked without good reason or permission? Then again it wouldnt be the first government dept to do it!

If its not a place where they'll do some massive check other then references to see the last couple of places you've been then I wouldn't worry about it.

Tell them you haven't kept them but if they do call you out on something and you've not been honest you'll likely not be employed.

MrsManda

They shouldn't be able to check with the HMRC but if you cannot provide them with the P45s they may write to/call the employers you've put down on your application form to see if the dates match up.

I cannot see why they'd put this effort in unless like Notafan said, you've applied for specific types of jobs, but there again I've never had a job where they've requested three years of P45s.

I know for some roles in the NHS, especially ones which require years of experience employers often take formal references from the current and previous employer (or the 2 previous employers if not currently in a role) but often put a call through to other employers over a 5 year history to check dates of employment.

I suppose overall, it depends on a) how thorough they are with checks, b) precisely how you've been 'a little bit dishonest'

Calfvader

Thanks for the replies.

It is a job interview for the CSA, screened by DWP so I imagine they will be thorough. I feel so bloody stupid as I panicked when I filled out the online application as I havent worked much in the last 3 yrs - idiotic I know as you always get found out. Should I get through interview they then do the background checks.

I am considering contacting them to say I ve realised Ive made an error on my application and hope it doesnt harm my chances too much.. who am I kidding, Im dead in the water!