NWR - employer wants my tax returns?

My thing is that if it's such a big deal, just say I was unemployed. It was odd side jobs doing modeling. I never worked for one specific person and I did do my taxes, I just don't see how the taxes would help them verify anything.

I think that is fishy. I wouldn't do it. You can provide names, addresses, and phone numbers for reference checks but that information is not necessary.

Could they not call former employers to verify your employment? This sounds weird to me, but I don't have much experience with this.

I offered to provide references of people who know I did it and also to get a notarized letter stating that I did it signed by people I worked with. Not good enough, apparently. @katherine Unfortunately she can't call to verify employment as she would be calling me because it was self employment. Literally just odd jobs as a college kid. I don't see how this is such a big deal.

What is this new job? Does it require you to have a certain number of years of experience in the field or something?

@EM no, it's just a quality assurance position in a large factory, and my degree alone should be enough experience given that 90% of my future co workers have zero experience beyond high school.

That sounds extremely weird to me. I wouldn't give anyone my tax return information. What type of employment is this for?

And of course I stated that what I did on my resume was freelance modeling, I wasn't trying to lie and say I had tons of quality assurance experience lol. I actually only put it in my resume because I didn't want it to look like I was sitting on my butt for 4 years, even though I was in college.

This is super weird to me, and I'm not sure if this is even legal.

Hopefully someone with knowledge of employment law can chime in.

I don't think they can ask for that.. That sounds so weird to me

@meettheclarks, it's for a quality assurance/analyst for a large company

Same thing happened to me!! I had a potential employer ask for my tax return for 2016. My friend in HR said they do this to verify income and that you were actually paid the amount you said you were paid. Needless to say, I passed on this "opportunity" . It's a a way to low ball what they will offer to pay you

Can you provide copies of your taxes but black out all the amounts? There's no reason they should need that information, but that way they can't say that you ignored their request. You simply provided a redacted copy.

Is that even legal?

If the POTUS doesn't have to show tax returns to get their job, you shouldn't have to show yours to get a QA factory job. If they are going to give you that much hassle to work for them, I wouldn't do it.

@diandra and that was my thing, like, this is a union position- the pay is the pay, they can't lowball it or anything like that. I also never gave them any info about the money I made when I was freelancing. She said it's not about money but "employment verification" after explaining to her 100 times that a tax return won't give her any verification, she still wants it for whatever reason. It's just odd. I don't want to decline giving it, because this is a very good paying job (more than I've ever made) with great growth opportunities, but I can't give her what she's asking for (verification) because it doesn't exist. I know she get the tax return and be like "oh it's not what we need", just like I told her and then they'll rescind because I can't give her any more proof.

It has been a long time since I applied for a job (self-employed for 25 years), but back then they asked for SSN so they could run a credit check.

Since your previous employment was unrelated, I don't see why they would care how much you made.

Is the person asking the head of HR? If not, ask HR about it.

Honestly I'd be willing to fight it as discrimination, my FH works there as well and he had the same situation when he was in school (got paid under the table) and they never asked him for this info. They can't pick and choose who they ask.

That would be a hard no for me.

People now a days ask for the most ridiculous things! I've seen job postings of babysitting with "College Degree Required"... A long time ago I was asked if I was married, my age and if I had children... all of which are illegal to ask in an interview.

I would ask her what schedule in your Federal Tax Return would have the information she needs... if you were self employed she might want to verify you filed a Schedule C on your tax return. (still though, not sure if they can legally ask) I would goggle it.

My thinking is that she's wanting to see if you did claim that money on your taxes as a way to see if you are "honest".

Sorry this is happening, good luck! let us know how it went.