If Youre Fired, Will Past Employers Keep Your Secret?
Despite what some job seekers think, it is not illegal for former employers to tell reference checkers that you were fired. They can say anything they want as long as it's true.
But many companies do have policies that limit what they will reveal about past employees.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
I was watching an episode of CBS's "60 Minutes" recently (hmmm, maybe I watch too much TV; no wait, this is "research," so it's OK). They had a shocking story about a male hospital worker who is suspected of killing more than 40 patients in several different hospitals during the past decade. He pleaded guilty to two of the murders.
That is very disturbing by itself... but what makes this story so incredibly worse is that his employers unwittingly helped him do it! This guy had been fired many times for a variety of reasons -- hoarding potentially harmful drugs, illegally administering unprescribed treatments, being negligent with patients -- and other alarming actions. He'd even been convicted of something (I can't recall the charge).
Yet he never had a problem getting another job at another hospital. Why? Because his former employers all had policies that prevented them from providing any information about past employees, other than job titles and dates of employment.
Apparently the hospital's lawyers were trying to protect them from lawsuits that could possibly result if something negative (and not proven as fact) was said about a past employee which prevented that employee from obtaining another job.
So even though references were checked, they revealed nothing about this criminal's activities. And he was passed along from one hospital to the next, allegedly killing patients in each one until he was finally caught.
This is a very extreme example of how such personnel policies are, in my opinion, doing more harm than good. This sword cuts both ways, after all. If you've done a truly exceptional job for your past employer, wouldn't you want that employer to be free to confirm your glowing accomplishments during a reference check?
Things are changing, thank goodness. According to the Society of Human Resource Management, employers are conducting more criminal checks than ever before. The need to provide a safe workplace is helping to drive this increase. Plus companies that were once worried about being sued by a former employee over a bad reference are now more concerned about being sued by an employer who wasn't warned about a bad employee!
Regardless of the threat of lawsuits (don't get me started on that), the bottom line for job seekers is that you should not assume your former employer will only provide your dates of employment and job title. If you were fired, it may be revealed. If you were an outstanding employee, it may be revealed.
If you're unsure of what your past employer's policy is, call them and find out. It's a good thing to know!
You may reprint/republish this article if you include my name and a link to this website.
Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com.
 Google News Updated : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:50:00 GMT Fitch says AMD factory move has no ratings impact - Forbes
Forbes - AP 10.07.08, 3:48 PM ET Fitch Ratings said Tuesday Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s ratings are not affected by the chip maker's plans to spin off factories into a new joint venture with investors in the Persian Gulf state of Abu Dhabi. What AMD's fab spinoff means for Intel, industry Who Benefits From AMD’s Financial Engineering? Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:58:11 GMT Axelrod Says Obama Will Counterpunch if McCain Raises Ayres - New York Times New York Times - By Patrick Healy NASHVILLE - Senator Barack Obama is prepared to hit back, including with Keating Five scandal if necessary, if Senator John McCain uses tonight’s presidential debate to attack him over his associations with controversial figures like ... Video: AP Campaign Minute Palin Adds Fannie Mae Execs to List of Objectionable Obama Associates Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:32:14 GMT Fed Announces Plan to Buy Short-Term Debt - New York Times
New York Times - By EDMUND L. ANDREWS and MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve announced a radical new plan on Tuesday to jump-start the engine of the financial system. Fed makes boldest move yet Federal Reserve to buy up short-term commercial debt Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:51:44 GMT Kenya deports anti-Obama author - Christian Science Monitor
Christian Science Monitor - Jerome Corsi, author of "Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality," tried to launch his new book, but violated immigration rules, Kenyan officials say. Barack Obama's African grandmother Sarah Onyango Obama roots for him Anti-Barack Obama author detained while promoting his book in Kenya Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:09:55 GMT Study: Using fan on sleeping baby reduces risk of SIDS - San Jose Mercury News
San Jose Mercury News - By Linda Goldston Ayde Gonzales's mother was surprised when she insisted that her newborn son must sleep on his back, not on his side. Fan Use May Save Your Baby’s Life, Reduces SIDS Risk Fan in Room Seems to Cut Infants’ Risk of Crib Death Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:46:19 GMT Union-Backed Party Opposes Term Limits Plan - New York Times
New York Times - By Fernanda Santos The Working Families Party began on Tuesday the labor community’s first major offensive against Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s plan to change term limit laws through legislation that would extend to three, from two, the number of terms ... UPDATE 1-NYC lawmakers to weigh bill raising term limits Bill to end term limits introduced in City Council Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:15:23 GMT Get moving: Guidelines set healthy activity levels - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - WASHINGTON (AP) - Get moving: New exercise guidelines released Tuesday set a minimum sweat allotment for good health. For most adults, that's 2 1/2 hours a week. Government tells Americans to take stairs, go out and play Get 2 1/2 hours of exercise per week, US says Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:11:51 GMT Amazon RSS |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Dealing with tough questions and objections is an essential part... Read More Learning how to type a resume may feel like a... Read More 1. Begin focusing on what you want instead of how... Read More Chances are you already have many ideas about what it... Read More An industrious black-tailed ground squirrel has his home beneath a... Read More Healthcare is one of the hottest career fields in America... Read More Too often in life, we fail. We fail not because... Read More Mauritius is a small island in the Indian Ocean with... Read More An interviewer's mission is to assess your qualifications compared to... Read More These days, job interviews often consist of a panel of... Read More Powerful questions to get below the surface1. Ask for specific... Read More Which of the following would you chose? Doing your lifework... Read More Losing my job in the last recession of... Read More Are you being paid what you are worth? Has anybody... Read More Does your job search feel like a big weight on... Read More Feel somehow your life is stuck in MS-OFFICE ? The... Read More In today's economy, job seekers need an edge beyond their... Read More Asking for money is so taboo in our culture that... Read More Let's face it. Monitoring employees' e-mail, tracking their Internet use,... Read More Q. I hate my job as a computer consultant. I... Read More You're interested in becoming a nurse. How do you get... Read More Even before I checked my calendar on Monday... Read More Every great resume deserves a great cover letter.A cover letter... Read More Have you ever been to a networking event that was... Read More All Presidential candidates (before and after) make all kinds of... Read More
Adsense
websites
Job Interviews -- The Four Worst Objections You?ll Face and How to Deal with Them
How To Type A Resume For Employers
Ten Things To Do If You Really, Really Hate Your Job
The Myths of Career Change
The Squirrel Effect
Ten Healthcare Fields That Cant Wait To Hire You
Five Facts You Must Know When Changing Careers
Finally The First Online Job Agency in Mauritius
Interview Skills That Attract Offers
Job Interviews: Succeeding With Panel Interviews
Simple Interviewing That Works
Finding a Career in Harmony with Your Life Path
Creating Your Own Luck
Hey! - Are You Being Paid What You Are Worth?
Job Search - 6 Tips to Boost Your Campaign
Job! Money! Career!
Networking - A Key Factor in a Successful Job Search
10 Keys to Getting Paid What You?re Worth!
Employees, Get Used to Working under Surveillance
Back to School for a Career Change
So You Want To Be a Nurse When You Grow Up?
The Chicken or the Egg?
Pair Your Powerful Resume with a Great Cover Letter
Network Now
Prepare for YOUR Future now --
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
The Perfect Fit: Women & Franchising
An interesting combination of factors at this time in history... Read More
What Do You Want From Life?
The tragedy for millions of people is that they never... Read More
Relocation Issues...Who Will Pay?
In light of recent unemployment figures, and a continual downturn... Read More
How to Negotiate The Best Salary and Benefit Packages
Salary and Benefits NegotiationOne of the most difficult aspects of... Read More
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone in the Job Search
Most everyone these days knows what a comfort zone is.... Read More
Freelance Work: The Changing Face of Employment
The world sure is changing, and if you look at... Read More
The Group Interview
Sometimes, when going on job interviews, you might end up... Read More
Everyone Should Have a RED BALL in the Job Search
May I explain what about what a red ball means... Read More
Mystery Shopping for Fun and Profit
How would you like to get paid to go shopping?... Read More
Resume 101
Whether you've been downsized, are looking for a career change... Read More
Writing a Resume: To Template or Not To Template?
Are free resume templates a viable answer to preparing a... Read More
What is Absolutely the Best Day to go on a Job Interview?
First of all, to fully understand and appreciate the answer,... Read More
Look in the Mirror
Take a moment to step outside yourself. Now, be honest... Read More
Career Moves: Take Charge of Your Life
Every day millions of people let their inner fears stop... Read More
Job Lead Websites To Use in Your Telecommuting Search
Let me ask you a question: are you tired of... Read More
The Chicken or the Egg?
Even before I checked my calendar on Monday... Read More
Telecommuting Website (Part One)
"I've heard you talk about building a website to get... Read More
Hey! - Are You Being Paid What You Are Worth?
Are you being paid what you are worth? Has anybody... Read More
7 Deadly Cover Writing Sins
Don't start off your job search with one (or more)... Read More
Surviving in Corporate Amercia: Part 1 - Email
There is a saying that goes, "The best offense is... Read More
4 Niche Job-Search Tips
Looking for a job on the Internet can be daunting.... Read More
Career Transitions: Creating Complementary Careers in a Day
Down-sized? Outsourced? Burned-out? Wizened up? That's what I said. Wizened... Read More
Ten Things To Do If You Really, Really Hate Your Job
1. Begin focusing on what you want instead of how... Read More
Stacking The Deck In Your Favor
Many people do not bother to look at their own... Read More
Ten Great Careers For Computer ?Geeks
The universal acceptance of computers into our daily lives, both... Read More
Careers, Jobs & Employment |