Guide to Georgia Employment Verification

Georgia employment verification is a process that confirms information about an individual’s work history. Typical data points include employer name, job titles, start and end dates, and current employment status. Some requests may also include salary or income details, but only when the employee has given authorization and when local laws allow an employer to use this information.

Employers in Georgia use this process during hiring to confirm that a candidate’s job application is accurate. It also helps you match a candidate’s stated experience to the requirements of the role.

Employment verification checks confirm specific facts about a person’s work history. The data that’s reported depends on what you request and what the candidate’s prior employer discloses. Salary data may or may not be present, depending on whether the employee has given permission for their income information to be shared and whether state law allows you to ask for that information.

Employment verification follows a request-and-response process managed by HR or payroll teams. The exact process varies across private companies, state agencies, and universities.

Many Georgia employers and state agencies use The Work Number to handle these requests automatically. Organizations that aren’t enrolled in The Work Number typically route their requests to HR or payroll via phone, email, web form, or fax.

Here’s how that process typically works:

Employers use a mix of direct outreach, automated databases, and background screening providers to confirm a candidate’s past work history. The method depends on the former employer’s process for responding to requests, as well as the scope of information you need.

Employers may call or email a candidate’s former HR or payroll department to confirm their dates of employment, job titles, and employment status. Some organizations use standardized forms or web portals to return responses; smaller businesses may respond through email.

The Work Number is a widely used database that stores employment and income records for participating employers. Many Georgia employers, state agencies, and universities contribute data to the Work Number, and you can retrieve records instantly when a candidate’s prior employer is enrolled and has submitted their work history data.

Employers often use background check providers, such as Checkr, to complete employment verifications as part of a broader pre-employment screening. These providers obtain candidate authorization, contact employers or query approved data sources, and return results to you online.

The timeline for a typical employment verification check in Georgia varies by the method you use and by the type of records you request.

Automated systems like The Work Number typically return results the same day, often within hours. Manual verifications processed by HR offices can take several business days. University and government agencies that rely on forms, fax, or ticket queues may add additional time, especially during peak hiring periods or office closures.

The actual timing of an employment verification will also depend on other factors, like whether the prior employer participates in databases like the Work Number and whether it’s permissible to ask for income data. It also depends on how quickly you receive responses back from HR departments.

The cost of an employment verification depends on the method you use and the scope of the information you’re asking for.

Checkr offers employment verification as part of customizable screening packages. Learn more about our pricing and what options might work best for you.

Georgia employers must follow both federal and state rules when reviewing candidates’ past employment and authorization to work. Key regulations to know include the IIREA, the FCRA, and the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act (FBPA).

Georgia’s Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act (IIREA) requires E-Verify participation for all public employers and entities that contract with them for the physical performance of services. Private employers with more than ten employees are also subject to E-Verify as part of local business license or occupational tax certificate processes.

When an employer uses a third-party service to verify a candidate’s employment history, this typically falls under the Fair Credit Reporting Act because it forms part of a consumer report. Under the FCRA, employers must provide a standalone disclosure, obtain written authorization from the candidate to run a check, and follow the adverse action process if the results of the report affect their hiring decision.

The adverse action process includes:

Checkr is an AI-powered background screening platform that conducts employment verifications as part of a full-stack pre-employment background check. We review candidates’ dates, titles, and employment status—as well as income information when permissible—using a combination of automated data sources and direct employer outreach.

Checkr integrates with popular ATS and HRIS systems via APIs and pre-built connectors. Candidates have access to a mobile-first experience to provide their information, track the status of their report, and complete any follow-ups. This also keeps the process moving for hiring teams.

Get started with Checkr to run employment verifications in Georgia.

Checkr Editor

Checkr is the data platform that powers safe and fair decisions. We’re a technology company that helps our customers assess risk, modernize hiring, and cultivate trusted relationships in their workplaces and communities.