Is this going to affect me?

[chasingthedream]

I went for an interview two weeks ago at a local hospital for a NA position. The next day I was called and told that they were offering me a conditional employment offer. Conditional upon a drug screen, credential check, background check and physical. I took the drug screen no problem, had friends telling me the background check company had called and had asked questions about me, etc. The HR woman called me at the first of the week and wanted me to make my appointment for my physical. Did that, no problems.

In the meantime I had been given an orientation date of Nov. 3. So, I went ahead and told my current job that I was leaving. However, due to the scheduling and the amount of employees they have that are just dying to work, I didn't have to truly give two weeks. I was just working basically pick up and on call only until I start my new job. Well, I went in this morning and was told that I was no longer needed and that I was being let go.

Can this affect me with my new job or are the background checks already done since I've been given an orientation date? I've never been fired from anything in my life. Do I need to do damage control with my new employer or should I just keep my mouth shut and not tell them I was basically just fired? Should I just take the week as a vacation and start fresh?

My main concern is that, since I had some issues with my previous boss that if they have not completed the background check with my refrences that instead of him telling them that I quit with notice, he will say I was fired.

Am I just worried about nothing?

[dark_light]

First of all, congrats on getting the job!

I think it all depends on the reason you were let go. If you fired for a job related reason (nothing that reflects poorly on you or your performance), then I see no harm in telling your new place of employment.

If the firing happened for other reasons,.... I don't know. Perhaps you could call the new HR department to confirm your orientation start date and just casually ask if all background/screening checks has been completed. It may be a good idea to just not mention it at all.

It sounds to me like your employer retaliated against you for resigning. How sad and petty! Just stay positive, confirm your start date... and be glad you are not working at that horrible place anymore.

(I have this type of scenario in my future... I am going to be submitting my resignation soon, and knowing my boss [i've seen him do this before to others], I expect I am going to be fired before I complete my two weeks. *sigh*)

[Flightline, BSN, RN]

Do not say a word and take a week's vacation. Let those doing the investigating do the work. Most background investigations are not even truly done. I'm surprised anyone even called your friends. Chances are they already called your employer anyway.

If they should happen to ask you about it, just say you were let go because of whatever. But if you're not asked--say nothing. I know you're probably dying to in a confess-to-relieve-stress kind of way, but don't do it.

What you have on your side is that your new employer needs NAs. They don't want to rule you out anymore than you want to be ruled out. There's a shortage of techs just like nurses. You've got an orientation date, so they've already done all the background they're going to do. For NAs, if your drug screen is clear and you have no criminal background, you basically are walking on water.

So, don't do it. Don't say a word that you don't have to say. Don't lie. If (and I stress, IF) you are asked, explain the circumstances. But I'd place money--my own money--on a bet that says they aren't looking at anything anymore except you showing up to orientation, and their counting on getting a new tech. That's it.

If you tell them something without being asked, you might be forcing them to act, when they never wanted to in the first place. If a coworker tells me something that I will get in trouble for not reporting, I'm going to report it. I'd much rather my coworker never put me in that spot. So, don't put your new employer in that spot. Say nothing. Take a vacation. You're worried about it; but you're going to worry about the new job anyway, even if you weren't "keeping a secret." So just throw this worry on that pile and live with it.

And what's the worst? If they find out this terrible thing from your previous job (just kidding:), you don't get the new job and you start looking for another. If you tell them, you don't get the new job and you start looking for another. By keeping silent on this, you can only win.

[Flightline, BSN, RN]

First of all, congrats on getting the job!

I think it all depends on the reason you were let go. If you fired for a job related reason (nothing that reflects poorly on you or your performance), then I see no harm in telling your new place of employment.

If the firing happened for other reasons,.... I don't know. Perhaps you could call the new HR department to confirm your orientation start date and just casually ask if all background/screening checks has been completed. It may be a good idea to just not mention it at all.

It sounds to me like your employer retaliated against you for resigning. How sad and petty! Just stay positive, confirm your start date... and be glad you are not working at that horrible place anymore.

(I have this type of scenario in my future... I am going to be submitting my resignation soon, and knowing my boss [i've seen him do this before to others], I expect I am going to be fired before I complete my two weeks. *sigh*)

I'm sorry, but I vehemently disagree. In my opinion, she should not say a word about anything. No one else does. Most applications only have the SSAN as the one true detail. And the #1 worst thing she could do is call up the new HR and ask if the background check is done and confirm her start date. That makes her sound like a homicidal maniac when all it probably is is a petty tiff with an ex-employer who's ****** that she's leaving.

You notice I said if she is asked directly she could explain the situation. But if she's not asked what possible good could come from volunteering possibly bad info? Has John McCain done that? Has B. Obama done that? Why should she?

[racing-mom4, BSN, RN]

I was just working basically pick up and on call only until I start my new job. Well, I went in this morning and was told that I was no longer needed and that I was being let go.

You were not fired, they knew you were leaving and they were just replacing you early. Not many people even work thier two weeks anyways. Most mgmt does not want an employee who is leaving because too tempting to talk to exsisting staff about how great your new job is and try to recruit them away with you, not to mention the employee really has no commitments any more so what is to stop them from taking forms/documents/extra post it pads etc etc etc.

I totally agree, DO NOT SAY ANYTHING.

My husband owns a buisness and no matter how great the employee is the minute they give thier two weeks, we shake thier hand-wish them well, cut them what ever vacation check they may have and watch them pack up thier desk.

Congrats on your new job!!

[txredheadnurse, BSN, RN]

Do not tell the new job. There is nothing positive to be gained by sharing this info with the new job. I was working in a new field on a temp contract basis to see if I wanted to make a switch to a different area of nursing. Before my 3 months were up I knew it was not a good match for me. I was contacted by an old employer and informed that my former position would be available in 3 weeks. I accepted it knowing that I couldn't start before that time frame.

I notified the temp agency (the ones who actually hired and paid me) and asked the recruiter to notifiy my work site. She refused to do so and told me I had to tell the site supervisor myself. In hindsight that should have been a warning sign right there. I informed the site supervisor and gave her about 2 & 1/2 weeks notice. Two days went by and the lovely site supervisor sent me an email (mid way through the day mind you) that today was my last day, clear my assignments and leave. She also expressed her extreme dissatification that I didn't want permanent employment there. So I was stuck like chuck with 2 weeks of no pay looming in front of me before I could start the other job.

In hindsight I should have just worked to the end of my contract and not given notice. I can't believe that someone would require notice and then terminate upon receiving it and not allow someone to work through the end of the notice. Since this happened to me a couple of friends of mine have had similiar experiences. I was fortunate that my former employer knew me and did not hold it against me that I was told to leave early. One of my acquaintances had a job offer rescinded when they found out her former employer terminated her early.

I want to remain professional and not burn bridges but this whole experience has made me very leery of the giving notice concept. It seems that there is a growing number of petty minded supervisors who appear to try to punish those who follow the concepts of courtesy and professionalism. What ever happened to just accepting that people leave jobs? It is a normal thing. It is not like I abandoned my spouse and dependent children at the side of the road in a snowstorm or something. I just didn't want to work at a job that bored me and where nasty emails and "performance coaching" was done cubicle side at top volume with no regard to privacy or others working.

[NewWayofLife]

. do i need to do damage control with my new employer or should i just keep my mouth shut and not tell them i was basically just fired? should i just take the week as a vacation and start fresh?

my main concern is that, since i had some issues with my previous boss that if they have not completed the background check with my refrences that instead of him telling them that i quit with notice, he will say i was fired.

am i just worried about nothing?

i agree with previous posters... do nothing. you have already been offered the position, passed a physical, etc. short of finding out you lied in an interview or application or uncovering that you've been reported for abuse, theft, or the like, there's little that would prompt an employer to withdraw their offer at this point. they don't want to go through the process of hiring another candidate after they've already invested a physical and screening in you. and in my opinion, you were not fired, you had already resigned. if it does happen to come up, (and i very much doubt that it will) simply tell them you gave your notice and were not required to work the remainder of your notice period.