I was fired from previous job

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · Mar 30, 2012

The correct answer is that HR will only tell dates of employment and sometimes if you are eligible for re-hire. They should not say anything subjective about the type of employee you were or why you were fired.

The reality is...nursing tends to be a small world. I have other management friends all over town and in all honesty we tend to have each others back and will tell things off the record. I have also seen other line staff snitch another person out "Hey Boss, so and so worked over at XYZ and they fired her for 123".

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Mar 30, 2012

I'm not in California, but in my State (as far as I know) employers are only able to give your dates of employment, and not the reason why you left their employ.

However, I'd be very careful here, as I have yet to see an application that doesn't say (usually somewhere near the bottom by your signature) that you are giving all the information, to the best of your knowledge, it is truthful, etc etc. If you are caught having NOT divulged something that you know was pertinent, there would be your problem, not in your former employer saying something out of turn.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Mar 30, 2012

and as an addendum, Nascar nurse is right: we tend to know things and hear things that have nothing to do with what HR says. It usually is better to be honest up front, present a professional and strong front, than to try to explain later why you were dishonest.

roser13, ASN, RN · Mar 30, 2012

Unfortunately, the urban legend persists that HR cannot say anything other than dates of employment What Can Former Employers Legally Say About Me? | Monster

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Mar 30, 2012

I interviewed for a job while suspended (with pay) from another job. Since I was still technically employed, I tried to hide the suspensiion. The new facility offered me a job. Two days later, they found out abut the suspension, and withdrew the offer.

sharpeimom · Mar 30, 2012

if we're honest about it, very few of us haven't been fired from a job at some point in our lives. unless you were

fired for stealing, or another ethics issue, what matters more is the spin you put on being let go and not the actual

fact that you were fired.

you should never lie on a job application because it will come back to haunt you eventually. there are two types of

lies -- lies of commission and lies of omission. omitting a job where you were fired would be a lie of omission. i have

never filled out a job application that did not include a signature somewhere attesting to the fact that i told the truth

and misrepresented nothing.

where it says "were you ever fired or let go from any job and why?" simply put something like "will discuss during

interview." another useful phrase is "different philosophies" as is "differing management styles." without openly

bad mouthing your old boss or workplace, you've just politely said they were impossible to work for.

Davey Do · Mar 30, 2012

if we're honest about it, very few of us haven't been fired from a job at some point in our lives.

three and counting.

not really. i feel confident and comfortable in my present position, nine years (and counting).

as i've posted on this site before, i went from being a med/surg/er nurse to a postion as a nursing supervisor with a home health agency. i also won my case with the department of employment services. the reason why i left my previous position was never asked of me.

after i was terminated as a community mental health outpatient do everything at the drop of a hat nurse, i once again, went into a postion as a nursing supervisor. i supervised medical services and the methodone clinic for another community mental health clinic. when asked the reason why i left my previous positin was asked of me, i said, "it was a consensual decision". i meant that i wanted to leave and administration didn't want the screen door to hit me on my behind.

when i was terminated from that job, i was at a job fair when approached by the director of behavioral health services of a local medical center. when she asked me the reason for leaving my last position, i said, "i got fired". she more or less hired me on the spot and i've been here nine years. and counting.

in my administrative positions, when asked about an employee seeking employment elsewhere, i was allowed only to give the dates of employment and job duties. however, if a former employee gave me documented permission, i would also give a personal reference. but the only former employees who ever asked me to give a personal reference knew that i would give them a good one.

imho, i wouldn't be too concerned about the past catching up with me. if it's gonna happen, it will happen. and if my past does catch up with me, i'll cross or burn that proverbial bridge when i come to it.

good luck to you, nursepenelope.

dave

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Mar 30, 2012

Unfortunately, the urban legend persists that HR cannot say anything other than dates of employment What Can Former Employers Legally Say About Me? | Monster

Not an urban legend. I've worked for two employers that would NOT say anything other than dates of employment....I seem to think it had to do more with liability, not WANTING to say anything more, rather than not being allowed to.

The more they say, the more they'd have to defend if they got it at all wrong.

caliotter3 · Mar 30, 2012

As has been posted on this site many times, the employer is allowed to say anything about a former employee's job performance that is true. If the employer says it, then it is true.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Mar 30, 2012

Not an urban legend. I've worked for two employers that would NOT say anything other than dates of employment....I seem to think it had to do more with liability, not WANTING to say anything more, rather than not being allowed to.
The more they say, the more they'd have to defend if they got it at all wrong.

That's just up front.......then they meet at these little meeting and get together at directors meetings like the Nurse executive ones I used to go to .......and they all gossip about where the latest malcontent is employed and share stories how the got them outed.....it REALLY annoyed me and made me so mad they were such shameless gossips. :madface:

sharpeimom · Mar 31, 2012

i was only fired once and thinking about it 35 years later, makes me furious, frustrated, and unhappy as it did back then.

i was a grad student and i had a job managing three group homes for developmentally disabled children. each unit had three

kids in it.

home a had three children: a girl in her mid-teens, a boy age 9 who also had an unusual anomaly, and a 6 year old whose

hips had been replaced. the youngest two weren't potty trained yet and that became one of my projects. their estimated

i.q.s were 20 and below.

home b had three teenage boys who attended school and had part-time jobs too. their i.q.s were in the 60's and two kids

also had behavioral issues.

home c was home to three older (or so i thought then:lol2:) woman with i.q.s in the 70 range and they each had diagnosed

mh issues too.

one of my (many) duties was to grocery shop for each unit weekly with a $100 per unit budget, that was expected to

pay for everything -- including soap, detergent, paper products, food, ice for the sidewalk in snowy weather. you name it.

we also received some commodities foods. i also managed the clients' money from their ssi checks, or helped the ones

who were able to do it themselves. one issue was that one client's family had his check sent to the family's address and then

just kept it. the kids' pampers were supposed to be paid for from their monthly checks, but most months, one boy's money

paid for all the diapers. his mom was what my elderly great aunt used to refer to as a "strumpet" and when she'd had a

good night, she'd drop off anywhere from $500 to $1000 to be "extras money for all three kids." that was diaper and

field trip money.

the daily employees were mostly college kids and young moms. one day i came in early after a meeting ended sooner

than expected, and the downstairs was empty and dark, which was very unusual. i called the houseparent's name and got

no answer. i went upstairs where i heard water running. in the bathroom, the shower was running and i discovered the

houseparent (a 19 year old male) and the teenage female client having sex. i immediately called my supervisor. she ordered

me to ignore it. i had fished the client out before i called and had taken her with me down the hall.

the houseparent's parents were very heavy university contributors and i should have realized he'd be spared.

i went home and was so upset that i called my mom. she was 1000 miles away but equally outraged. she called

some friends in the state capitol and let's just say that heads rolled. i wasn't fired right then, but they scrutinized

everything until they got me on a technicality. i ran a quick errand without calling in first (not usually necessary.)

would i report it again? you'd better believe it!