Quick answer: To use The Work Number to verify employment, a lender, landlord, or employer requests your records through theworknumber.com after registering as a credentialed verifier, usually with your employer's code and your Social Security number. For income details, you typically generate a one-time Salary Key at employees.theworknumber.com.
You finally found the apartment. Then the leasing office says, "We just need to verify your employment," and suddenly you're on a scavenger hunt for an employer code you've never heard of.
Good news: The Work Number exists to make this faster. Here's how it works, what verifiers need, how to get a Salary Key, and which phone numbers are actually official.
What Is The Work Number?
The Work Number is an automated employment and income verification service run by Equifax (through Equifax Workforce Solutions). Employers, payroll providers, and third-party administrators send employee data directly to the service, and approved verifiers can then confirm details like:
- Employment status and dates
- Job title / last position held
- Income, when the verifier has your authorization
Because it's automated and available around the clock, a verifier doesn't have to wait for someone in HR to call back.
Who uses it? Mortgage lenders, banks, landlords, car dealers, background check companies, prospective employers, and government agencies handling social benefits.
How to Use The Work Number to Verify Employment (For Verifiers)
If you're a lender, landlord, or employer who needs to confirm someone's job:
- Register as a verifier. The Work Number says verifiers get access "after a brief registration and credentialing process." Sign up at theworknumber.com.
- Have a permissible purpose. Access is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Verifiers must be credentialed and have a legally permissible purpose, such as a loan or lease application the person submitted.
- Get the employer code and the person's Social Security number. Many employers publish their Work Number employer code on their HR website, or the employee can get it from HR.
- Get a Salary Key for income details. Many employers require the employee to provide a one-time Salary Key before income data is released.
- Pay the fee. Verifiers, not employees, typically pay for verifications.
How Employees Use The Work Number
If someone needs to verify your employment, you usually don't need to do much. Point them to The Work Number and share your employer's code (from HR) if they ask for it.
How to get a Salary Key
A Salary Key is a six-digit number that gives a verifier one-time access to your income information. According to The Work Number's employee FAQ:
- Log in at employees.theworknumber.com.
- Select Salary Key.
- Click Generate Salary Key and share the number with your verifier.
Treat it like a password.
Do employees need an employer code?
Not to log in. The Work Number's employee site says, "You no longer need an employer code to log in." Verifiers may still ask for one, so check your company's HR or payroll site.
How to see who checked your data
You can request your Employment Data Report, which shows your employment and income data plus the verifiers who requested it in the past 24 months. Log in to the employee site and choose to view your data. Under the FCRA, The Work Number is a consumer reporting agency, so you have the right to see what it holds about you.
The Work Number Phone Number (Official)
(Switches to serious face.) Phone numbers for The Work Number get copied all over the internet, and they don't always match. Here's what The Work Number's own employee contact page lists:
- Employee login help and general inquiries: 1-800-367-2884, Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–8:00 PM CDT (excluding holidays)
- TTY for hearing-impaired callers: 1-800-424-0253
The same 1-800-367-2884 number is listed in the employee FAQ for filing a complaint with Equifax.
Verifier phone number? The official verifier pages we reviewed direct businesses to register and verify online rather than listing a phone line. If you're a verifier, use the Contact Support and Purchase Verifications options at theworknumber.com, or the verifier instructions your applicant's employer provides. We're not listing numbers from unofficial sites, because a wrong number is the last thing you need mid-application.
How to Dispute or Freeze Your Work Number Data
- Dispute an error: Start a data dispute through the employee site (employees.theworknumber.com). Under the FCRA, you have the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information, and the company must investigate.
- Freeze your data: You can't opt out, but you can request an employment data freeze at no cost. Per the FAQ, you complete the Employment Data Freeze Placement form and email or mail it, and requests are processed within three days of receipt. While frozen, verifiers can't confirm your data, so lift it before you apply for a loan or lease.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the phone number for The Work Number?
The Work Number's employee contact page lists 1-800-367-2884 for login help and general inquiries (Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–8:00 PM CDT) and 1-800-424-0253 for TTY. Verifiers should use the support options at theworknumber.com.
How do I find my Work Number employer code?
Ask your HR or payroll department, or search your employer's HR website, since many organizations publish it there. Employees don't need the code to log in to the employee site anymore, but verifiers may ask for it.
Is The Work Number free?
For employees, viewing your Employment Data Report and placing a data freeze are free. Verifiers typically pay a fee for each verification.
Can my employer verify my salary without my permission?
Verifiers must be credentialed and have a permissible purpose under the FCRA, which usually comes from an application you submitted. Many employers also require a Salary Key from you before income data is shared.
Can I opt out of The Work Number?
No. The Work Number's FAQ says you can't opt out, but you can request a free employment data freeze to control who can view your data.
Verification Done. Now Land the Next Job.
Employment verification usually happens right before a big step, like a new job, a new apartment, or a new home. If that next step is a new role, our Resume Builder helps you create a polished resume in minutes. And if verification is part of a job offer, brush up on how to negotiate salary, explaining employment gaps, and writing a resignation letter.