Previous Salary Confidentiality

vrealm

HI All,

Is it possible to ask a previous employer not to divulge your financial information to other company during job reference? And are they required to oblige?

I am planning on asking my previous employer not to disclose this information other than my start date, end date and any other info they deem fit necessary and I would like a general opinion before I do this

please advice

74jax

Of course you can ask. But seems strange, haven't you had to disclose what it was anyway?

vrealm

I initially told a recruitment agency about my salary which I inflated. With the company i got current offer, I was never asked once for my salary during all the interview stages and I had never personally told the company anything about my salary. But, after checking the with the company they've included in my details what the recruitment agent had told them.

The issue is , should i contact the recruitment agent about it or wait until reference and verifications comes back. I am concerened

TELLIT01

I wouldn't worry about it. If the question of previous salary is raised simply say that you put down what you require from a prospective employer. What you earned previously is irrelevant.

vrealm

I was thinking about that because I agreed to a background check which my previous employer might be asked. So my thought was to contact the recruitment agency to inform them that the rate i gave them was based on an offer i had to turn down prior to accepting this one. I don't want to be painted black in the end.

adom_thomas

You can ask but it is not sure that current employer would agree on the same!

Takeaway_Addict

TELLIT01 wrote: »

I wouldn't worry about it. If the question of previous salary is raised simply say that you put down what you require from a prospective employer. What you earned previously is irrelevant.

It is relevant, if the question was what do you currently earn and you lie and its found out then it shows distrust and employers would rightly question the employees worth to them

Undervalued

Strictly speaking they shouldn't reveal any information without your permission. However, giving them as a reference would normally be taken as giving permission to answer any questions that are asked.

If you want to prohibit certain details being revealed you need to contact the old employer and say so.

However, if you do that and the potential employer asks and the old employer refuses to reply then then they may well take a negative view.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Never tell anyone - recruitment consultants, prospective employers, anyone - what you currently earn. It's none of their business. Only ever tell them what you want from them.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Takeaway_Addict wrote: »

It is relevant, if the question was what do you currently earn and you lie and its found out then it shows distrust and employers would rightly question the employees worth to them

Nobody ever asks that, do they? Not in my line of work anyway. If they did I would simply refuse to tell them, and question their worth to me.

TBagpuss

if you are offered the job your new employers will see your P45 anyway.

in job interviews, always talk about your salary expectations, not your current salary. That way, you don't have to lie.