Group One

What is Group One? Sounds like the axis of evil if they have a report on you as a nurse. Maybe we all should start a Group Two and write up facilities, and patients, and co workers!!!

LOL, I totally agree. No offense to anyone intended, but this is absurd! Who ARE these people? Are there other similar "agencies" out there?

[color=#085241]your rights under the fair credit reporting act

= you must be told if information in your file has been used against you.

= you have the right to know what is in your file.

= you have the right to ask for a credit score.

= you have the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information.

= consumer reporting agencies must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information.

= consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information.

= access to your file is limited.

= you must give your consent for reports to be provided to employers.

= you may limit "prescreened" offers of credit and insurance you get based on information in your credit report.

= you may seek damages from violators.

= identity theft victims and active duty military personnel have additional rights.

as another poster stated, it would be easy to flood them in paperwork for several years!

One more thought...

Since it clearly states that consent must be given to give out information to potential employers, there is nothing stopping you from sending a letter directly to Group One stating that under no circumstances is any information from them to be given out to any agency about you at any time for any reason until you rescind this directive in writing.

Simple.

Edited to add: Send this via registered mail with return receipt requested.

One more thought...

Since it clearly states that consent must be given to give out information to potential employers, there is nothing stopping you from sending a letter directly to Group One stating that under no circumstances is any information from them to be given out to any agency about you at any time for any reason until you rescind this directive in writing.

Simple.

Edited to add: Send this via registered mail with return receipt requested.

There is a problem w/this and legit credit agencies. If you try to block them, the inquiring employer/creditor may be told "No information can be given out on this individual". Whereas, on someone with no record of problems is a "No history of disciplinary action".

The facility (many of them Columbia/HCA, who promotes this), will still decline the applicant. The fact that the info is blocked works against you.

In addition, if you have a known history (your rewsume/ap) of working for a facility that is GroupOne affiliated, the prospective employer knows that there should be info on file, good or bad. If it is blocked, they will know that there is an "issue" and may refuse outright regardless of the info blocked.

PS. That consent is generally the blanket consent that you signed when you applied for the job in question.

When you apply for a job, you sign at the bottom of the ap, to permit them search your records - that may revoke (in writing) the former block on the info. In most facilities, if you do not sign that, they will not even look at your application.

I work as a nurse manager and can tell you that GO does exist. We interviewed a candidate and were planning to make an offer and HR came back with a negative Group One and we could not make the offer. We don't know exactly what the negative information was but none the less, I suspect this nurse was having a great deal of difficulty finding employment. A nursing asst I worked with was fired from a pediatric hospital in the area. This was a lady who was an excellent worker with a great attitude. I would hire her in a heartbeat but unfortunately she began working on a floor with 2 extremely pettty nurses and one inexperienced managers. Two of the nurses took it upon themselves to report every possible minor issue, some were not even true. Petty stuff like "documented a temperture in the F instead of C" Anyone who has been a nurse recognizes from time to time that you may accidentally overlook an item when you are busy but most of us are safe and hard-working. These type of minor issues are usually what is being reported by nurses who have far to much time on their hands. Unfortunately, she stayed (even though I warned her to quit) and was fired and has not been able to find work. She was an older lady who was always very kind and sweet to the kids and families. Just a real shame. But the truth is that all it takes is a toxic unit and an inept manager to ruin a career. I wish the nurses on the unit who knew what a good worker she was stood up for her and "wrote her up" for all the good things she did. Shame that we don't support one another. To me, this is the real reason that a nurse can be so easily blackballed.

just like i posted while back you don't have to do anything wrong to get fired. just because someone gets the high class title some abuse and some don't.

So if I have never worked for a group one facility does this mean that I don't have a file with them?

"RateMyProfessor.Com" for schools and professors?

How about a "RateMyHospitalandNursingUnit.Com" for nurses who are thinking about applying for a position? Toxic units and facilities wouldn't get applicants.

"RateMyProfessor.Com" for schools and professors?

How about a "RateMyHospitalandNursingUnit.Com" for nurses who are thinking about applying for a position? Toxic units and facilities wouldn't get applicants.

Sounds like an excellent business opportunity Gauge (hint, hint)!

Sounds like an excellent business opportunity Gauge (hint, hint)!

Yeah Brian.....Maybe that would be a good thing to add to allnurses

The questions would have to be well constructed, and there would have to be some way to encourage positive responses - not just negative - after all - we all want to know where the GREAT places to work are too, right?

You also have the right you ask GO for the "proof" of your "claim."

The trick is that because they hide as a 'consumer credit reporting agency', they fall under the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act).

And there are means under that act to harrass THEM back.

If you drown THEM in paperwork, they legally CANNOT ignore you and must answer and investigate EACH AND EVERY request made by you. It's the law.

If you are persistent, you can bug the heck out of that supervisor that made the comment - to the point to get them to forget or change the comment. See, if you contest the comments, the LAW says they have to inquire about its accuracy. If that inquiry is either unsubstantiated or goes unvalidated for 30 days, the LAW says they must remove that info from your file.

A. So, you send in a request to investigate. They send a letter to your former employer. That employer has to deal with it. Your former employer spends their time and energy on the matter. Group One send you a letter back saying it's investigated and substantiated.

B. You send them another letter requesting an investigation.

C. The LAW says they have to REPEAT A. - Again. And Again. And Again. As long as and as many times as you make a legally allowed inquiry, they are legally required, under the FCRA, to investigate.

Personally, I would request my Group One report, and send a letter asking for the investigation of the complaint itself. The next day, I'd send a letter asking them to investigate and change my license number (whether correct or not), The next day, I'd send them a letter asking them to investigate the incorrect spelling of my name (whether they spelled it right or not). The next day, I'd ask them to investigate that they are confusing me with someone else. The next day, I'd ask them to investigate blah blah blah.

I'd send a formal letter, under the rules of the FCRA, asking them to investigate a unique and different aspect of my file EVERY DAY. What's a 40 cent stamp and 5 minutes of my time/day (form letter on computer, change a detail, print and mail) when my dander is worked up?

If you have a little time and money, after a few weeks, a letter on a lawyer's stationary asking them to verify their investigation processes to your 'attorney' could make them stick to the CFRA and play the long and drawn out game with you fairly, by the long and complicated Federal rules. Surely you could find a lawyer that would lend you the credibility of a formal legal inquiry at a reasonable price.

(This is the SAME process, btw, that some companies use to claim that they can improve your credit rating. And, in point of fact, you can do the SAME thing with the big three real credit agencies, sometimes with dramatic results in your credit rating, but, I digress.)

~faith,

Timothy.

This is so good.

Thank you on behalf of nurses done wrong.