Group One background checks in Texas

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I have been put into group one, which is a reporting agency that allows other healthcare facilitys to see why I was terminated. I was not given a chance to resign before termination. My question is, can I request to have it changed? Is this a type of discrimination? all this is making me want to get out of healthcare all together, seems like i will allways have a disadvantage being a guy and all.

I had never heard of this group. Is it nationwide? How is it legal to have information on employees available to other employers and such if the employee did nothing illegal but maybe the HN and employee did not get alongand the employee was terminated on flimsey excuses? It happens in all at will states. Wow, Texas is covered with this group. Somebody please give me an answer, since I am a nurse who has years of employment and never knew this thing existed.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I have a friend that was 'group one'd' -- she's an LVN and started an IV during an emergency but, though she had years of IV experience, LVNs didn't start IVs on the floor she was on. She was labeled 'insubordinate' for that event, but not till she quit on her own for other reasons 6 months later.

She did get a job at another group one facility but only because her manager was a former LVN and could relate.

Group One is a conglomerate of primarily Dallas Fort Worth Hospitals that keep private, SUBJECTIVE data on their employees, and share that information amonst themselves. It doesn't just give your dates of employment and rehire info; it gives your supervisor's opinion of you AND why you left. It also keeps criminal records (even minor ones) that never get taken off your group one record even if they are cleared up elsewhere.

It's not a national thing and I had never heard of it when my friend asked me about it, either.

Basically, if you don't work in DFW, with few exceptions, Group One doesn't apply to you.

Personally, the only reason why hospitals get away with crap like this is because nurses continue to work for them. I would never work for a group one hospital, not because i'm afraid of what data they collect, but because they have no real right to collect it (the subjective, unrebutted information from a supervisor who's writing about you at the EXACT same time you just told her to take her job and shove it - not very objective, huh?)

I just quit a job for installing an infrared tracking system -- i'm not a dog and don't need nor want a leash, thank you very much. These types of things are insulting. As the President of the Amer. Assoc. of Critical Nurses said at our conference in New Orleans in May: this kind of stuff is only tolerable if you tolerate it.

~faith.

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The kicker is we give our employers the right to let Group One gather financial, legal, personal hx(marriage,divorce et.) and previous employment hx.

We give them the permission do it when we sign that line giving our prospective employer permission to to contact a credit reporting agency it is stuck in the fine print.

Group One lists itself as a credit reporting agency. Its web site tells you what they really do. They do backround checks,drug test, financial and previous

employers comments. Does not seem like the actions of a credit reporting

agency. :uhoh21:

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Specializes in Critical Care/ICU.

Oh good lord.

Is this the website?:

http://www.gp1.com/group1_main_body.htm

I have NEVER heard of anything like this. Pretty positive this is illegal in CA. If a prospective employer were to call a former employer of mine all the former employer is legally able to say is Yes or No if they were asked if they would ever hire me again.

This just blows my mind.

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I've said it once and I'll say it again,

GROUP ONE IS EVIL!

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Wow, no offense but Texas would never be for me. What the heck are you nurses thinking in Texas to give this agency such power? There have to be places down there that don't deal with this agency, if now, how in the world do regular, good days and bad days staff manage to keep their jobs?

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Oh good lord.

Is this the website?:

http://www.gp1.com/group1_main_body.htm

I have NEVER heard of anything like this. Pretty positive this is illegal in CA. If a prospective employer were to call a former employer of mine all the former employer is legally able to say is Yes or No if they were asked if they would ever hire me again.

This just blows my mind.

Scary huh. Big brother at work. This is going on in other places besides Texas.

Whenever we sign those applications the allow them to access our info through a "credit reporting agency" we are opening ourselves up to this.

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I live across the country but the local HCA facilities have that in the job application now about doing a credit check, it even mentions you can't cross it out, or you won't be considered.

I bet HCA, used to be Columbia HCA, is behind the whole thing.

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Specializes in pediatrics.
Oh good lord.

Is this the website?:

http://www.gp1.com/group1_main_body.htm

I have NEVER heard of anything like this. Pretty positive this is illegal in CA. If a prospective employer were to call a former employer of mine all the former employer is legally able to say is Yes or No if they were asked if they would ever hire me again.

This just blows my mind.

You have to remember they are not an employer, they are a "consumer reporting agency". wink wink. My understanding is in Texas that when you call an employer the only info they can give is dates of employment and eligibility for rehire. Honestly, you can work happily for many years and never have any issues, but those nurses who have worked in toxic enviroments and for toxic managers realize how any minor error or personality issue can be used to "justify" firing employee and GroupOne is a tool that in the wrong hands can be used to add salt to the wound. Personally, I beleive there is such an organization in other states not just Texas.

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You have to remember they are not an employer, they are a "consumer reporting agency". wink wink. My understanding is in Texas that when you call an employer the only info they can give is dates of employment and eligibility for rehire. Honestly, you can work happily for many years and never have any issues, but those nurses who have worked in toxic enviroments and for toxic managers realize how any minor error or personality issue can be used to "justify" firing employee and GroupOne is a tool that in the wrong hands can be used to add salt to the wound. Personally, I beleive there is such an organization in other states not just Texas.

If you have worked for Columbia/ HCA anywhere in the nation they would have access to your info. Just because group one is in Texas does not mean that there practice is limited to just that state. I would like to know if there are any non-medical companies using this type of service? Florida is an at will state, your employer can fire you for having a bad hair day. I can see the file now; Employee came to work hair was frizzy. Employee stated " I am sorry but the humidity is 85% outside." Employee terminated (no re-hire) for unruly hair.:chuckle Or better yet, sweat noted on employee's forehead. When counseled on her dissheveled appearrance employee stated " I am sorry but I have been doing the chest compression on the two back to back codes we did for the last 45minutes." Employee told to write remeadiation plan, code 890 was called and nurse left to attend an 890 code. Employee to be fired/no rehire for insubordination due to leaving while talking to superior. Employee to be escorted out of the building by security after shift is completed (unless one of the night shift nurses does not show up then ask her to work a double) Then have security escort her out of the building.:rolleyes:

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
If you have worked for Columbia/ HCA anywhere in the nation they would have access to your info. Just because group one is in Texas does not mean that there practice is limited to just that state. I would like to know if there are any non-medical companies using this type of service? Florida is an at will state, your employer can fire you for having a bad hair day. I can see the file now; Employee came to work hair was frizzy. Employee stated " I am sorry but the humidity is 85% outside." Employee terminated (no re-hire) for unruly hair.:chuckle Or better yet, sweat noted on employee's forehead. When counseled on her dissheveled appearrance employee stated " I am sorry but I have been doing the chest compression on the two back to back codes we did for the last 45minutes." Employee told to write remeadiation plan, code 890 was called and nurse left to attend an 890 code. Employee to be fired/no rehire for insubordination due to leaving while talking to superior. Employee to be escorted out of the building by security after shift is completed (unless one of the night shift nurses does not show up then ask her to work a double) Then have security escort her out of the building.:rolleyes:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

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Does anyone know how far back the hospitals go when they are doing a background check from Group One? I've heard that they go back just 7 years but I could be wrong. Do the hospitals still use Group One? Any info would be great.

Thanks

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