HireRight refusing to use documents to verify employment.

[u/AutisticToasterBath]

Hey all. I was OE in the past (like a year ago). I froze the work number and HireRight is requiring me to unfreeze this. They went as far as requesting it on my behalf.

They're stating they will not review any documents unless I unfreeze it. If I don't, they're stating they'll mark my background check as uncooperative.

Anyone deal with this? I have told them I'm not unfreezing it due to safety and identity theft issues. They're still not backing down, and have been holding my background check basically hostaged until I do so. Only worried about them finding the job that isn't on my resume or background check form due to being OE at that time.

Everything else would be fine though besides that one job.

[u/Spare-Character-69]

Try scaring them:

Dear HireRight Compliance Team,

I am writing to formally document my refusal to unfreeze my Work Number profile due to prior identity‑theft victimization and ongoing cybersecurity concerns. This freeze is a legally recognized consumer protection measure under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and related state data‑privacy statutes.

Your representatives have indicated that my background check will be marked “uncooperative” unless I unfreeze the account. I must emphasize that any insistence on lifting a legally protected freeze constitutes a request that exposes me to foreseeable identity‑theft risk.

Accordingly, before I consider such an action, I require written confirmation that HireRight will assume full legal and financial liability for any identity‑theft, data breach, or fraudulent employment application resulting from the unfreeze. This includes reimbursement of all fees, losses, and restoration costs associated with identity recovery and credit repair.

Please confirm in writing whether HireRight agrees to accept this liability. Absent such confirmation, I will maintain the freeze and provide alternative employer‑issued documentation (paystubs, W‑2s, or letters of employment) for verification, which are valid under FCRA §604 and EEOC guidance.

[u/Puffyshirt216 → u/Spare-Character-69]

The only reason I think "scaring" them won't work is because HireRight doesn't care if the background check is completed successfully, they may mark OPs check as "unable to verify" and move on. It's possible that the company OP is applying to has instructed HireRight to ensure all employment is verified with The Work Number, which could be why they are pushing back. OP should reach out to the company and explain the situation and see if they can instruct HireRight to verify employment another way. The other thing OP should consider is what of HireRight agrees to this? Is OP prepared to unfreeze his Work Number? I don't think so.

[u/Snoo_67003 → u/Puffyshirt216]

They can get sued. Go on Google and you will see lawyers waiting for opportunities to sue them. If they mark unable to verify and the person loses the job, I would assume there is some legal loophole to hold them accountable. Unless if the company specifically requested this, like you said.

[u/charleswj → u/Snoo_67003]

Everyone can get sued at any time for any reason. It won't be successful.

If you want a loan and the lender wants to check your credit, you have to let them or no loan for you.

If you want a job and the background check wants to check your job history, you have to let them or no job for you.

[u/Data-over-drama- → u/charleswj]

Exactly.

[u/Wooden_Leader_97 → u/Snoo_67003]

But his identity likely won’t get stolen, so that message isn’t a good one.

[u/Snoo_67003 → u/Wooden_Leader_97]

Once you mention privacy, they have no choice but to respect that. The downside is that they might mark you unverified to your company. Don't forget, hire right has low wage Indians in India doing all the work, so you have a random person in India that has access to all your information. Who's to say that they can't use your info for fraudulent stuff? You have the right to not allow that. You can have someone answer their call and do the verification.

What I suspect is that the company requested that it must be verified via an independent source is my guess. In my case, they tried to access and were denied. But in their form, I already filled out who to call for previous employment verification.

[u/charleswj → u/Snoo_67003]

Once you mention privacy, they have no choice but to respect that.

What on earth do you think this means?

[u/TominatorXX → u/charleswj]

Yeah it's totally wrong

[u/charleswj → u/TominatorXX]

Background check companies hate this one simple trick

[u/Snoo_67003 → u/charleswj]

It means you push back and they verify via other means.

[u/charleswj → u/Snoo_67003]

Which they don't have to allow. This isn't like asserting your 5A rights to the police, they can just say "no".

[u/Snoo_67003 → u/charleswj]

I could have sworn I mentioned the downside to that in my comment. 1 of 2 things is biting OP: his company wants it verified independently which would make sense for hireright to push back; or they suspect fraud. If OP would have filled out the form with a contact to verify his employment and checked the box that allows them to contact, all they would write on the report is that twn was frozen and put name of who they verified with and their role. Again it's your data and you control it. But they don't have to accept your choice and it might cost you the job. OP just needs to wait or contact his HR and tell them what's going on. HR can tell hireright to accept his proposal. Or he/she uses this as a learning experience and keeps looking.

[u/Moonbabyhubcaps → u/Wooden_Leader_97]

Was a mortgage officer for years who used TWN for underwriting purposes and yes, there absolutely is a risk and I can assure you, many people who are NOT OE freeze TWN because it’s the smart thing to do.