Oftentimes, the provider or her assistant will call your place of employment, ask for you, and when the call is forwarded to your extension, hang up.  She now knows that you do indeed work where you said you did.  They use an innocuous excuse such as reminding you of a doctor's appointment or some other similar thing.  She doesn't need to speak with you but just verify that you work there.  There is no intention to intrude on your private life.

Swi

Check out P411, RS2K or Date-Check.  You then comply with their screening so that when you email a gal for a session you only give her this information and NOT your personal information.

I would be VERY apprehensive to give a complete stranger my employment information if I was an employee (I'm not..but I am the employer).  Some gals may not be terribly discreet which can cause you serious harm (as in using a Company email that every employer has access to...same as phone calls).

Always remember as well that once your information is out there (be it to an indy gal or a screening service) it is there forever.  You would tend to minimize your exposure by using a screening service since it isn't directly related to any particular gal.  But make no mistake....nearly EVERY gal keeps your information.  Most however would not use it nefariously.

As for how common it is for gals to request your work info...depends on the gals.  Some ask for no real information...others seem to want FICO scores, major credit card info, bank routing and account numbers and so on.  ONLY give out information that you are comfortable with.  Once it's in someone else's hands...good luck in getting it back.

When you give out that info to a total stranger, think of the worst possible scenario i.e. she contacts your boss with that info.  

Some employees have a boss who they are actually friends with, like in a small business situation, and they can thus take on more risk than someone that works for a larger organization.

I would strongly try to convince you that it is not worth the risk. As CPA said, go the verification service route. That way, your personal info goes out once, as opposed to dozens and  dozens of girls, based on how often you plan to hobby.

I run my own business so it's not as big an issue with me, but I still wouldn't do it. That info can lead to a blackmail type situation and hurt my biz if I don't cave to her demands. Overwhelming majority of the girls will not a pose a problem in this area BUT how do you know which will, and which will not, go BSC (bat shit crazy) on you in the future?

I haven't had to give out my personal info (real name, biz name, etc) in over 10 years and I never will, even though some girls request it. I go right on to girl #2 on my list if she demands that stuff. That allows me to sleep at night.

because it's none of anyone's business where I work.

If a provider demands that kind of information, I move on... no point of me risking my work info to a stranger.

The Forest Waits
 

I've gone ahead and taken your advice and put off providing this directly and signed up for p411. It most likely would not come back to haunt but one can never be too careful. I appreciate your input!