Verification of Employment or Income

The Universities of Wisconsin use The Work Number® to provide employment and income verifications for employees. 

The Work Number is a secure, automated service that allows lenders, property managers, government agencies, and other authorized organizations to verify employment and income information. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, making it easier to provide proof of employment or income when applying for credit, financing, housing, or other services. 

Need a Verification? 

Most employment and income verifications can be completed through The Work Number. 

UW Employer Code: 18032 

Provide the requesting organization with: 

The requesting organization may also ask for your Social Security Number or other identifying information.

What Can The Work Number Be Used For? 

Common uses include: 

  • Mortgage applications
  • Vehicle and personal loans
  • Apartment or housing applications
  • Employment-related verifications
  • Some social service agencies may use The Work Number. 

When to Contact UW-Shared Services Instead

Some verification requests cannot be completed through The Work Number.

Submit your request to GetHelpUW if you need:

  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (follow the link for instructions) 
  • Forms from city, county, state, or federal agencies
  • Child support wage verifications
  • Verification on official letterhead
  • Verification requiring dates, job titles, or salary details
  • Employment records before April 2011
  • Background investigations
  • Job descriptions
  • Retirement service buyback information
  • Verification of hours worked
  • Rehire eligibility
  • Performance reviews or conduct verifications
  • Employment references
  • I-9 or employment eligibility verification
  • Financial Aid Independent Verification
  • Professional licensure applications
  • Teaching assignments, courses, or credits

Problems with Your Information? 

If you believe your information is incorrect you can submit a dispute directly to The Work Number: 

  • Online: Complete the Employee Data Dispute Form.
  • Phone: Call The Work Number Employee Service Center at 1-866-222-5880.

If your information cannot be found, contact UW-Shared Services. 

FAQ

What is The Work Number? 

The Work Number is an automated employment and income verification service provided by Equifax Workforce Solutions. It allows employees to provide proof of employment or income through a secure online system. 

How does it work? 
  • UW securely sends employment and income data to The Work Number each business day.
  • Authorized organizations called verifiers, verify employment or income through The Work Number. 
  • Verifiers must be screened and credentialed by Equifax and have a permissible purpose under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to access your information.
  • Employees provide consent for income verification when applying for a loan or service.
  • Information is typically available immediately once it has been received and processed by The Work Number. 
Is my information secure? 

Yes. Verifiers must be screened and credentialed by Equifax and must have a valid business purpose for accessing information. They must also have a valid, FCRA-compliant permissible purpose for requesting your information. The Work Number uses security measures, including authentication and data encryption, to protect employee information.

What is a verifier? 

A verifier is a lender, property manager, employer, government agency, or other organization authorized to request employment or income information. 

Do verifications take longer through The Work Number? 

No. Information is typically available immediately if it is in the system.

What if I’m a new employee?

Your information will generally become available after your first payroll has been processed. 

If you are a future hire or rehire, your Total Time with Employer may display as a negative value because your employment has not yet started 

How far back does the data go?

The Work Number contains UW payroll data back to 2011. 

Why might my Total Pay in The Work Number differ from my W-2?

Your Total Pay may differ from the amount reported on your W-2 because of pre-tax deductions. For more information, see Comparison of the Year-End Earnings Statement to Form W-2.

What if my information is incorrect?

Submit an Employee Data Dispute Form 

What if my information is not found? 

Contact UW-Shared Services. 

How do I review my data in The Work Number?

Step 1: Go to the Employee Portal 

Navigate to: https://employees.theworknumber.com  

Select Register. 

Note: The Work Number now requires all users, including those who had accounts on the older website, to create a new account through the current portal.  

Step 2: Create Your Account 

You will be asked to: 

  1. Enter your email address. 
  2. Create a password. 
  3. Accept the terms and conditions. 
  4. Verify your email address if prompted.  

Step 3: Verify Your Identity 

Because The Work Number contains employment and income records, you’ll need to complete an identity verification process. This may include: 

  • Your name and date of birth
  • Social Security Number 
  • Mobile phone verification
  • Security questions based on public records or credit bureau data 

Step 4: Access Your Employment Data 

Once registration is complete, you’ll be able to: 

  • View your employment history
  • View income information reported by participating employers
  • See who has requested your data within the past 24 months 
  • Request a data freeze 
  • Initiate a dispute if information appears incorrect 
  • Obtain an Employment Data Report (EDR) free of charge  

If Registration Fails 

If you’re unable to complete the online registration: 

  • Call The Work Number Employee Service Center at 866-222-5880 
  • Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time 
What is a Salary Key? When and how should it be used?

A Salary Key is a temporary authorization code available in The Work Number that can be used to control access to your income information. 

To create a Salary Key: 

  • Login or create an account at The Work Number
  • Navigate to Salary Key or Provide Proof of Income.  
  • Select Create a New Salary Key.  
  • The system will generate a unique Salary Key.  
  • Provide the Salary Key to the organization requesting income verification.  
  • Keep a record of the Salary Key for your reference. 

Salary Keys:

  • Are single-use codes
  • Must be created for each income verification request 
  • Expire after use 
  • Are limited to three active Salary Keys at a time