Does Anyone Know About Federal Re-Hire policies?

[eldragon]

I am employed in the private sector. I was employed in a Federal job, GS7. I quit that position (worked out a notice) because I was offered a VA position. This was a different Federal agency than I had been working for before.

Anyway, I went through the hiring process and it took me about 6 months. The day after I quit my previous Federal job, the new job Nurse Mgr called me and said "Oh, I know what I want to do. I'm going to have you drive 85 each miles every day to work at a facility I never mentioned you working at for the entire 6 months of the orientation process". So I had rented an apartment, had everything ready to go, and felt I had no choice but to move on with the decision, even though I was uncomfortable with it. She promised me if it would be 6 weeks of travel.

I got there and did travel for 6 weeks. 85 miles to work, 85 miles back. The weather was bad, the roads were unsafe and I was extremely unhappy with the situation. I spoke to the nurse manager about my fear of traveling so much is horrendous weather and she said she understood, but she needed me to continue doing it. After the 6 week period was up, she extended the period for another month. It snowed over a foot and I panicked big time. I ended up quitting without notice, I was still in orientation officially, and going back home. I regretted it instantly, but I panicked. I have had significant history with driving on ice, had been in a bad car accident decades ago, and lost my brother in a car accident involving ice. It put me in a PTSD flight or fight mode.

Fast forward less than a year, and I get another offer from the VA close to wear I live. I told them of this unfortunate circumstances related to the other job, and they said it wouldn't be a problem. I went through months of the hiring process, physical, everything - and then failed the background check. They wouldn't tell me why but kind of hinted it was the prior incident.

This has been haunting me for 2 years. I really feel I was done wrong. I felt like I was risking my life and had no control over anything. The road was bad, sometimes closed for bad weather, and there were frequent fatalities on the road due to bad weather. Had I been informed of this during the hiring process, I would NEVER have given up my federal job, or taken the VA job. NEVER in a million years. Nevermind it cost me thousands of dollars to break the lease in the apartment I was renting. Overall, a bad deal for me.

Since then I have worked in the private sector but this haunts me. It's been over 2 years now but I can't stop thinking about it. Does anyone know how I can fight this? Who to call or write to find out if I am black balled or something? Any advice is appreciated.

[TriciaJ, RN]

First of all, try to stop worrying about it. You walked out of a very bad situation before something bad happened to you. Of course that manager was exploiting you. It had nothing to do with your orientation; it was about staffing a hard-to-staff facility. Being the eager newbie, you drew the short straw. That manager really should have been taken to task for her very poor retention strategy.

Meanwhile, does that facility have a union? I'd start with them. Tell them you aren't interested in pursuing things this much later, that you just want information. Ask them if there is a way to find out if you're black-balled.

If there is no union, then try to find someone in the HR department who'd be willing to speak with you. Of course, if you're not planning to ever work for the feds again, the issue is moot and you should let it go.

[eldragon]

Thanks. Yes that facility has a union. Perhaps they can help. I'm trying not to dwell on it, but it sometimes feels like I gave up my dream job and will never have an opportunity again like that one. Thanks again for the advice.