advice on new job search please

[sistasoul]

Hi All,

I am trying to find a new job and am not sure if I should list my current job as a contact. Applications always ask whether they can contact current employer. I am afraid human resources will give me a bad reference as they think I "swore" at them. I can assure you I did not do such a thing and would never do such a thing. I was a little stressed out but swearing was not part of the dialogue. Then there was another incident where I was accused of delay in patient care. It was one of those she said/she said where based on one nurses facts human resources wanted me written up. My side of the story was not even asked for before the write up was implemented. I refused to sign it and said there was no way that I delayed patient care. I own what I do but I refused to own that charge. I have been working since I was 11 years old- (36 years) and have never had to worry about getting a bad reference from human resources. I have worked at this facility for 4 years and 3 months and need to list it for experience. I applied for a home health position affiliated with the hospital and have not even had an interview. I am pretty sure my application never made it pass HR.

How should I handle this? If I put down on my application not to contact it looks bad and if I do I am 99 percent sure that HR will not give me a good reference.

Thanks in advance...

[Nurse ABC]

I think the only thing Human Resources are allowed to say is if you're eligible for re-hire and to verify dates you worked. If you say no don't contact them it can look like you're hiding something. Can you leave it blank or add a note you don't want them to contact them because you don't want them to know you're looking elsewhere? Try to find other nurses you work with that's willing to be a reference there if possible.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

Like ABC's response.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I think the only thing Human Resources are allowed to say is if you're eligible for re-hire and to verify dates you worked.

Contrary to popular beliefs, it is perfectly legal for HR and former bosses to give bad references as long as the information they're exchanging is factual.

However, many larger companies have policies that limit the type and amount of information given during references to the dates worked and eligibility for rehire.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

... companies have policies that limit the type and amount of information given during references to the dates worked and eligibility for rehire.

Yeah. It's a liability "thing."

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Yeah. It's a liability "thing."

Then again, once a potential employer hears the words "not eligible for rehire" during a routine reference check, this limited information has the potential to do plenty of harm to the job candidate.

[HippyDippyLPN]

I always request for them not to contact current employer, if they aren't positive they will not hire me I didn't want my current job to know. My current job was fine with me just giving current co worker references and its a large hospital system.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

... once a potential employer hears the words "not eligible for rehire" ... this limited information has the potential to do plenty of harm...

Yup. It's usually fatal.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

... request for them not to contact current employer...

Very understandable way to go.