Background checks

[VickiTheGamer]

I noticed the rules for this section include "and for Transsexuals to share their experiences" so I figured, this is a good place to ask a question.

I realize a name can be changed as well as a Birth Certificate even, but what about Background Checks by jobs. If I were to Transition from MtF, I was thinking, when a company sees that, what is to stop them from using that info to keep me from getting a job. I mean, I don't really see any way to prove I didn't get it because of discrimination at this point unless someone is dumb enough to bluntly say something with witnesses around.

Is there a way to change your background (paper/computer records wise) to reflect that your a women, and not a man? I pretty much am sure the answer to this is no, but I thought perhaps I can find out what experiences many of you have had in this?

Thank you,
Vic

[Rianna Humble]

I cannot say what the situation is in your part of the world, but in the UK, there is provision for someone who is transitioning/has transitioned to contact the agency that does criminal records checks and ask them not to disclose the change of name. In many cases a letter to the HR department of a former employer will also be enough to prevent any confusion with references.

[PretzelGirl]

I have seen others here say they have changed a lot of things. I have also seen them talk about stalemates with places like colleges and on birth certificates. I suspect, and someone can confirm, that your credit reports will always carry your previous name as they always list every variation you ever used.

[I Am Paula]

Where stealth starts going wrong. You've asked a very good question.
The best you can do is contact HR at previous jobs, explain the situation (yup, out yourself again) and ask them to add a note to your records concerning your new identity. They are under NO obligation to comply, but compassion, and decency may prevail.

Sue mention credit reports. They are not used in gaining employment, however, chances are good that everytime you buy a car or get a mortgage you will need to out yourself.

A young girl in my support group has transitioned very well. You can't tell she's not GG. Her ID is all in order, and she is for all intents and purposes a woman...until she walks into a bank, government office, or job interview. She then becomes a transsexual. She has tried her very best to be stealth, but it fails her daily. Stealth works on a social level. Neighbors, shop keepers, your mechanic, and the barrista. We do our best, but there is an army of people out there with access to our former ID.

Unfortunately, despite every protection, law, and even the constitution, if an employer dislikes your race, creed, gender, or religion, he can simply write 'Did not interview well' on an application, and it's game over.

[Angela Campbell]

Yes, if they look hard enough they will be able to find out. Do what you can and live with what you cannot change. No easy way.

[Frances]

Yes and no. It depends.

This sentence causes me concern though: when a company sees that, what is to stop them from using that info to keep me from getting a job. It indicates a certain level of paranoia and self-hatred (internalized transphobia). I would advise to bring it up with your therapist.

[Jorja]

In the USA, your Social Security number is used to identify you. It is entered into a computer and a few seconds later your history is there. There are some aspects of your former life you will never outrun no matter how hard you try because it is all cross referenced to the original SSN. Keep in mind that it is not the entire workforce of a company seeing your information. It is usually a trusted individual doing these investigations. They are only looking to see that you are not an axe murderer or child molester and not a threat to national security.

[Frances]

The social security number is used for tax purposes and name and date of birth verification. If you apply for job at Target. The HR person does not get a "file" about your life. I you have changed your name with social security, then that is all they would see. What kind of background check are we talking about?

[Krisi]

I think it would be easier and more honest just to be upfront and tell them you were born male, went to school as a male, etc. After all, that is the truth.

Trying to hide your past will make people suspicious.

[I Am Paula]

Frances-At Target they may not check references, but at every other job they do. It may not be a file, but it's certainly your employment history, which includes your sex.

Krisi- This is what most of us eventually discover. Stealth is a perfect world we strive for, but rarely achieve.

[Frances]

Paula, It depends on the job. This is all so general. If you transition on the job at a place you have been for a long time, the reference will be of a female. If you think a pre-transition job won't do it, you don't reference it. Work history is not a permanent record that can be viewed by anyone. There is a lot hyperbole and projection in this thread. "Not at Target, but EVERY other job?" C'mon, that's just not true.

Again, what's the issue? Is Vicki applying for a job at the CIA? But, more importantly, why is being trans a problem and why would you want to work there if it is? If it's not a problem, are you the one creating the issue? That's psychologically relevent.

[Kimberly Kael]

The number of paper and electronic records that exist about each of us is astronomical. In practice, changing many of them is possible but it's all a matter of time and energy. At some point you'll run out of both so it's always going to be a compromise. I settled for an identity that stands up to casual scrutiny: basic ID, credit cards, driver's license, passport, and little else. In employment matters there was no practical way to hide my past. Too many people knew me, there are enough industry articles and public appearances that it just wasn't going to be workable unless I wanted to start from nothing.

To me, that's why stealth has simply stopped making sense. There was a time when nothing less would do because being outed invariably meant losing your job, relationships, everything that matters. That's no longer the case. Now it is possible to live a truly authentic life in many places. You don't have to disclose everything to everyone, but neither do you have to live in perpetual fear of anyone knowing. I didn't get out of one closet just to step into another one. I'm done with forever looking over my shoulder wondering if anyone notices anything unusual about me.

[arbon]

If I were to Transition from MtF, I was thinking, when a company sees that, what is to stop them from using that info to keep me from getting a job. I mean, I don't really see any way to prove I didn't get it because of discrimination at this point unless someone is dumb enough to bluntly say something with witnesses around.
Vic

Despite anti discrimination laws and such there is really nothing to stop them from discarding your application once they see your past.

In my situation my past is way way to easy to find. Just a simple google search brings the record of my name change up #2 result on first page, STILL!!! afer two years. Frustrating, and it leaves me feeling vulnerable.

Despite that I would not be upfront about it in most job application situations, I would not want to make an issue of it, and just hope it would not be an issue for them.

[I Am Paula]

I just googled my new name, and my old name. I have a snowball's chance in hell of stealth. There's four pages on my old name, and one on my new one. Some pages mention both! Luckily, I've never tried to hide my past. I don't have to tell people, but I don't deny anything.

Frances. After a life in senior management, and hiring around 100 people, I have checked EVERY reference, and done some spot checks on employers that were not specifically listed as references. But, at the end of the day you're right, stealth doesn't work, AND, who wants to work where your status will be a problem.

[Aprilrain]

I agree Arbon, if it's not relevant information to the job your seeking don't bring it up. They may see it they may not but if you make it an issue they will not want to touch you!

[Cheyenne Skye]

Someone said potential employers don't check credit reports. That's not true in certain situations. My ex worked in credit collections and a few other money related jobs and part of the background checks they did check her credit. The reason being that if you owe a bunch of creditors and have access to other people's financial information, if you're not scrupulous, you could use that information to help yourself.

[Cheryl123]

Hi Vicki .. actually there are still 3 states where you cannot change your gender marker on your Birth Certificate, even after surgery. The way I see the problem with this this employment thing is that you have give references when you apply for a job. You could ask your previous employers not to reveal your former gender but for that to work you'd have to ask them to change the name on your records to your new famine name, and they are not likely to do that. It's better to be up front. If you hide the fact that you are trans, then you'll always be afraid of being outed. That's no fun. And if a company won't hire you because you are trans, then you really don't want to work in a place like that. (Also I think you worry too much -- just kidding!)

[VickiTheGamer]

The reason I ask this is I was told, in my Geographical area, about 70% of the MtF TG's are out of work and have a hard time finding it.
So, I was just curious about it.

As for my "paranoia". I am not paranoid. I am learning more and more. Just looking to learn ladies, nothing more at this point. Now.....later on, perhaps. :D

Love you all and thank you,
Vic

[noeleena]

Hi,

Put my name of noeleena ,Loch-head up on the net and see whats there,

and or noeleena ,edwina ,Loch-head .

Plus, noel, edward Loch-head,

.............................................all of the above is myself and i have two other birth names as well

And our son Clifford has his up as well on the family tree and where our history is from ,

Oh just a thought do let me know what you found ill be interested ,

Dare ya .

...noeleena...

[Michelle.M]

Despite anti discrimination laws and such there is really nothing to stop them from discarding your application once they see your past.


Right. As others have pointed out, it’s usually just a check for a criminal record, but if someone really wants to discriminate there’s always the “you’re just not the best candidate” response.


I just googled my new name, and my old name. I have a snowball's chance in hell of stealth.

That may change somewhat over time. I Googled myself last night and I can’t find myself at all. Googled my old name and the trail stops a few addresses ago. In that respect I am about as undiscoverable as I could ever expect.

Things got better for me when I stopped worrying about living in stealth. I just go about my business and don’t worry about who knows what. I just deal with it as needed. I actually have more problems finding jobs due to my age than I do with my gender history.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

70% out of work...who told you that??

Are you good at what you do? Do you have good contacts or references in your line of work.

Those are the most important things.

Being trans will not help. It may be against the law to discriminate but good luck with that. The best way to discriminate against is not to hire us, and unfortunately, one of the main reasons it can be hard to be hired as openly transsexual is because company lawyers will advise their companies that we are high risk for legal problems. I don't make that up. That's a fact shared with me by corporate lawyers across multiple industries...

There is no point in hiding it. Your appearance may give it away anyway..
the battle is not about your past or your papers..
You have to be at the top of your game and have something meaningful to offer employers.. you have to win somebody over (true for most jobs anyway but more true for us)

and as Michelle points out, trans is just one way to discriminate..age is another.. hehe..I wonder if I can get my age changed!!!

[LeaP]

The best you can do is contact HR at previous jobs, explain the situation (yup, out yourself again) and ask them to add a note to your records concerning your new identity. They are under NO obligation to comply, but compassion, and decency may prevail.

Sue mention credit reports. They are not used in gaining employment, ...

Name changes are routine at most companies and should present no problem at all. No-one is going to ask a former employer in any kind of electronic exchange about your gender anyway. If they don't use a telephone-based system that provides an access code for employment verification, it's usually an email based on name and dates of employment only.

Credit report checks ARE used in some industries, including mine (financial services). I have had a candidate rejected after a credit check. I'm not sure what is disclosed, though. For all I know, it's a yea or nea based on some set of criteria.


In the USA, your Social Security number is used to identify you. It is entered into a computer and a few seconds later your history is there. There are some aspects of your former life you will never outrun no matter how hard you try because it is all cross referenced to the original SSN. Keep in mind that it is not the entire workforce of a company seeing your information. It is usually a trusted individual doing these investigations. They are only looking to see that you are not an axe murderer or child molester and not a threat to national security.

LOL - it's not quite THAT simple! But correct anyway. And you're right about who is checking also. In large companies, HR not only does the checks, not the hiring manager, but they contract out most of the work.

On the other hand, a LOT of information is disclosed. In my industry and role (financial services, in a "access person" role with knowledge of client personal information, trading activity, securities analysis pre-publication, compliance and legal actions, etc.) that includes:


The release of complete health records.
Driving Record.
Criminal Record, including disclosure of all arrests.
All legal actions of any type.
All bank and investment accounts except mutual fund-only retirement accounts. This includes accounts owned or controlled by family members (and yes, this is completely legal). All foreign accounts of any type.
Credit reports.
Regulatory agency checks, including the SEC and FINRA.
Authorization for release of former employment records information, including performance reviews. They also conduct INTERVIEWS with former employers.
Military Records.
All School Records back to (including) High School.
Disclosure of all foreign travel in the last 10 years.
All citizenships and passports.
Drug test.

I've probably left a few out, but it's pretty comprehensive, short of a government clearance, which is worse, by all reports.

After posting this and reviewing, I realized I left out one of the most relevant: Disclosure of all former names and aliases!

[Michaella]

Actually, in the US credit reports are quite regularly used in screening employment applications. I think it is bizarre and disgusting, but it is done.

Michaella

[Kaitlyn Michele]

As a former hiring manager please tell me why I shouldn't protect my own job and my own company from knowing about potential hirings..

sorry but if I could choose between 2 people, and one had a horrible credit record I would want to know that...i'd at least want to ask the person about it to understand what happened...

[Kimberly Kael]

sorry but if I could choose between 2 people, and one had a horrible credit record I would want to know that...i'd at least want to ask the person about it to understand what happened...

Agreed. I'm hiring someone for their judgement and ability to handle complex situations effectively, not to mention someone who won't be stressed out by their life outside of work. It would be a poor hiring manager that would look at a credit score as entirely representative without inquiring further, but ignoring someone's financial situation might also lead to making a hiring mistake.

[Michelle.M]

trans is just one way to discriminate..age is another.. hehe..I wonder if I can get my age changed!!!

Sure, why not? They just turn it inside out like they do with GRS, and your age becomes the inverse of your chronological age.

[Frances]

I am self-employed. I lied to myself about my transsexuality and refused to show my credit report to myself.

[Eryn]

That magic SSN, despite the fact that legally it is "Not To Be Used As Identification" is really the key to your entire past. If you've led a normal life there is no way that you can alter every document that a background check will unearth. You will always have the "Also Known As" notation sitting in all sorts of files and if "Bernice" used to be known as "John" it is likely that the "trusted person" examining the data will tell everyone involved.

I think that this is a major contributor to people delaying transition until they are near or at retirement age.

[karanne]

The last time I sat with an HR person to interview applicants for a city job, I noticed on one applicant's credit history a previous (male-sounding) name. This was a duty that all middle-managers rotate through, and I couldn't really ask her about it. When we check previous employment, all we're legally allowed to ask is dates of employment and 'would you hire him/her again?'. Several times I've been told 'we don't rehire - ever'. Well, that's a company policy, so I can't hold it against her. I see applications that are sent out with the 'shotgun' approach - people, if you're applying for a library job, a past as a mechanic isn't going to help. You would also not believe what people will wear, do, or bring to an interview. Dressing professionally (nice dress, skirted suit, etc.) and not wearing the tiny skirt and fishnet stockings.

If you're going to be handling money or sensitive materials, I'm going to look a little closer at that credit report. I may ask about it, and honesty helps - yes, I've had problems paying them off, I've had to run late a couple times, but then again, we've all done that. I know I have, in the days when my checking account had a negative balance, BUT they were paid. Good enough. You're climbing out of a financial hole, been there, done that.