Equifax's alleged payroll storage and collection activities are now the main concern of various tech employees from different companies, especially Google.
People walk past the Google pavilion at CES 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 8, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. CES, the world's largest annual consumer technology trade show, runs through January 10 and features about 4,500 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services to more than 170,000 attendees.
The issue is with the American multinational consumer agency's user-paid employment verification database called "The Work Number."
This problem started after Google staff, and other tech workers discovered that their sensitive payroll details are shared with the company.
To make matters worst, Google and other tech firms don't really ask for their employees' consent before sharing their payroll information with the multinational consumer agency.
Equifax Collects, Stores Payroll Data Without Consent?
According to The Washington Post's latest report, Google employees are not alone in the current Equifax payroll data sharing and collection issue.
Google staff stage a walkout at the company's UK headquarters in London on November 1, 2018 as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant's handling of sexual harassment. - Hundreds of employees walked out of Google's European headquarters in Dublin on Thursday as part of a global campaign over the US tech giant's handling of sexual harassment that saw similar protests in London and Singapore.
Although this initiative is helpful since employees no longer need to rely on their previous tech companies to confirm their resumes when looking for a job or applying for a loan and mortgage, Google staff said that this is still risky.
"I think that it's very disturbing to me that employees don't get to have any say in whether their company is sharing that information," said an Electronic Frontier Foundation privacy analyst, Hayley Tsukayama.
He added that payroll data sharing and collection should not be at a company level, explaining that it is only a personal decision.
Google Defends Payroll Data Sharing Activity
United News Post reported that Google explained to its employees why their payroll details are being shared to Equifax's The Work Number system.
The tech manufacturer said that it had been a common practice. Google added that Equifax and other third-party companies could only see the payroll information with their consent.
Meanwhile, Equifax's VP of Employer Services and Talent Solutions Division, Joe Muchnick, stated that The Work Number is the only system that accesses tech employees' payroll information.
In 2015, Equifax's credit report dispute process overhaul recently happened.
Also, in 2017, Equifax's data breach previously risked around 143 million customers.
For more news updates about Equifax's payroll data collection issue and other related business tech topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
Related Article: Equifax Hackers Demand $2.66 Million Ransom For Stolen Information, With Sept. 15 Deadline
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Written by: Griffin Davis
