Background Check Discrepancy (problem?)

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in CCRN, ED, Unit Manager.

I'm suppose to start a new job this month contingent on my background check / physical. So I get my background check back, and as it turns out my employer for whom I last worked 3 years ago told them I made $1 less an hour than I reported (I'm right, he made a mistake) but I don't have any of the pay stub's saved. The background check company listed that as a discrepancy. :no:

I haven't heard back from the job yet because the results came in after HR was closed... should I be worried? lol, I feel a little paranoid but I'm not sure if this will matter. If it's any good to add: this job was construction from 2010 and the two hourly wages were $14 and $13.

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Specializes in Med/surg, Tele, educator, FNP.

It happened to me once, 3 dollar less then i reported but still got the job.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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Specializes in Trauma-Surgical, Case Management, Clinic.

Wow, I didn't know they could ask previous employers about wages? Seriously? So they can low ball your pay. I have had minor discrepancies on background checks and have still gotten jobs.

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Specializes in CCRN, ED, Unit Manager.

Thanks for the reply. Looking forward to hearing from HR, but the first line supervisor told me not to worry about it.

Type A personalities can't handle the big red letters on the background check, lol.

Wow, I didn't know they could ask previous employers about wages? Seriously? So they can low ball your pay. I have had minor discrepancies on background checks and have still gotten jobs.

I'm not really sure why. I guess just so the background check company can verify the veracity of the information you provide. The job was in construction and I've already received the salary quote for the new RN gig, so it couldn't change my salary. :bored:

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I'm in the same boat and a company I worked for three years ago reported me as a current employee. Confused about that. And they said my start date was 1 month after I had reported it to be. Hopefully it's not a big deal? I submitted my w2 for that year and haven't heard back except for 'thanks for the documentation'

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

I have never heard that they check your wages, unreal what has that got to do with background checks

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

A friend with a common name (Think 'Ashley Jones') was applying for teaching jobs in an area of shortage in Texas, and could NOT get hired. Turns out there's an 'Ashley Jones' out there who is born on the same day who gets into all sorts of mischief. My 'Ashley Jones' finally figured it out by pulling her own background check. She reports the other Ashley has WAY more fun than she does!

Addendum: She is happily teaching low income kindergarten students and loving it. The other Ashley is currently incarcerated.

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and may they stay in their respective locations.!

A friend with a common name (Think 'Ashley Jones') was applying for teaching jobs in an area of shortage in Texas, and could NOT get hired. Turns out there's an 'Ashley Jones' out there who is born on the same day who gets into all sorts of mischief. My 'Ashley Jones' finally figured it out by pulling her own background check. She reports the other Ashley has WAY more fun than she does!

Addendum: She is happily teaching low income kindergarten students and loving it. The other Ashley is currently incarcerated.

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The W-2 is a great idea. You must save your old tax returns, right?

I had a friend with a common last name whose wife gave birth to a baby boy the same day, same hospital as another couple with the same last name; both couples chose the name "Brian" -- and the same middle initial! Two "Brian J. Smiths" in a pretty small area. As with your "Ashleys," the other Brian J was a bad boy, and my friend's Brian J was always getting hassled for it.

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Specializes in CCRN, ED, Unit Manager.

As it turns out, the discrepancy was insignificant to the employer.

Keep it as a lesson though. Always have ALL your records to give someone!

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Specializes in Oncology, Clinical research.

You can always request a report from a former employer with your dates of employment and salary. I did that before applying for jobs this time. Glad I did, because I'd forgotten that one of the jobs I had listed was technically two jobs - I'd been hired as a "Temp tech" 3 months before I became a "Lab Tech Sr." It may not have mattered, but who knows. The application said that any discrepancies could be considered falsification and would make you ineligible, so it wasn't something I wanted to test.

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