You can request a free Wage and Income Transcript from the IRS, which shows your employment and income history reported to the IRS.
This is a comprehensive record of your work history.
By filing IRS Form 4506-T, you can get a free transcript of your tax return information, including your employers and income details, directly from the IRS.
Your Social Security Administration earnings statement contains a detailed record of your employment history and income over your lifetime.
You can obtain this statement for free online or by mail.
Many states offer free access to employment records through their workforce development or labor departments.
This allows you to retrieve your work history from state-level sources.
Services like Equifax and Experian provide free employment history reports by aggregating data from public records and employer databases.
These can be accessed online.
Using the free online tool at MyEemploymentHistory.com, you can compile your complete work history by connecting your social accounts and email records.
If you've lost track of an employer, you can search for them in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' database to potentially retrieve contact information and request your records.
The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act entitles you to a free copy of your employment history report from consumer reporting agencies like The Work Number.
Many payroll providers, such as ADP and Paychex, offer former employees free access to their earnings and employment information online.
Reaching out directly to past employers, even those you worked for decades ago, can often result in them providing your employment details at no cost.
Maintaining your own detailed work history log, including start/end dates, job titles, and contact information, can make it easier to access this data when needed.
Certain government programs, like unemployment benefits, may provide you with an employment history report as part of the application process at no additional charge.
Online platforms like LinkedIn allow you to build a comprehensive professional profile that can serve as a reference for your employment history.
The Social Security Administration's Online Earnings and Benefits Estimate Statement gives you a complete record of your covered earnings over your career.
If you've moved states over your career, contacting the workforce agencies in each state can help you piece together your full employment history.
Utilizing free online tools like Resume.com or Glassdoor can help you retrieve and organize your work history details in a centralized location.
The IRS Form W-2 you receive each year contains information about your employers and income that can be used to verify your employment history.
Many companies now provide former employees with access to their employment records through secure online portals, often at no cost.
Checking your credit report can reveal past employers, as this information is frequently included in your credit history.
For international work experience, contacting former employers directly or accessing government labor databases can help you obtain your overseas employment history.