Hired but never started?

[aeris99]

I just wanted to bounce this situation off of those of you with hospice experience. I'm still not sure what happened.

This summer I finally had an interview at a local hospice agency for an LNA position. I had applied to this agency multiple times before and was turned down each time. They have a great reputation, numerous awards, and have been in our area for a long time. So I was thrilled!

I did well during the interview. They seemed as excited to have me, as I felt to join their team. I filled out the hiring paperwork. We discussed orientation, further training etc. We discussed my school schedule and I was assured that I could work around my class schedule. I was to call at the beginning of the next week with my finalized class schedule so that we could schedule my orientation.

The following week I called the specified person and was told she was out of the office. I left a message. I called back multiple times over two weeks and each time either got sent to voicemail or disconnected entirely. I never heard back.

My question is should I bother applying to this agency again in the future? And why would an agency with such a great reputation behave this way? I believe I have good references and I know I have a clean record. I really don't know what happened.

Thanks for any input.

[Emergent, RN]

I had a similar experience last summer. I have a full time job, but was applying for Per Diem jobs. I got hired at one, then a second one called me for an interview. I went to the interview, told them I had just been hired at the other PRN job and would be orienting there, but was interested in them as well.

I guess the interview went well and the Director of Nursing called the next day, telling me that they wanted to hire me, but that an official offer couldn't be made until I could come in within 24 hrs to give a urine drug screen. Job is an hour away, so that wasn't immediately doable, and I had told them that I needed to orient at the first PRN job. She said to call back when I could.

I did so, getting her voicemail, I was going to be travelling and could swing by. I never got a call back. I was busy with my other new job, and a few weeks later I emailed her, saying that I'm still interested and would be returning from a camping trip and could swing by on such and such a date. She emailed me back, happy to have heard from me, saying she had wondered what had happened to me.

I stopped by the hospital on the afternoon that I had said I would. I told the front desk I was there, waited 15 minutes, approached them again asking if she was, in fact, there. They called an told me that she had left for the day.

I emailed her again, saying that I had stopped by as agreed. No email back! I figured that, no, I do not wish to work for such an unprofessional, discourteous, disorganized place.

[caliotter3]

This type of situation has happened to me more than once. After a period of time, I no longer concern myself with such an employer, other than to remark upon their behavior to potential employees or clients. I have been told by others that the same thing has happened to them. What you should be concerned about is if that same employer is successful in blocking you from unemployment benefits in the future, by stating that they offered you work, when they did not.