Is it legal for a former employer to...

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Mar 2, 2013

I think they CAN reveal that info - so I would be proactive and up front on any job application. As long as it's your ONLY bump in the road, you should be fine.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2013

Why wouldn't it be legal?

An employer can share any factual information they choose. Many will opt to share as little as possible to avoid potential lawsuits, but rehireability (which is often linked to notice given) is usually one of the things most employers will share.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2013

Contrary to popular notions, a former employer may give you a negative reference as long as the information being exchanged is factual (for instance, "Her language was vulgar at times and she quit without giving us two weeks notice.").

SleeepyRN · Mar 3, 2013

Contrary to popular notions, a former employer may give you a negative reference as long as the information being exchanged is factual (for instance, "Her language was vulgar at times and she quit without giving us two weeks notice.").

Thanks. I know there are a lot of myths out there regarding what is allowed to be asked and revealed. This was 6 years ago and I was young and impulsive. I'm ashamed. The whole situation was just....weird. Before my boss kinda lost it mentally and emotionally, my work was literally my home away from home. When I was 19 and going through issues with my dad to the point where I moved out of state for over a year. That time I gave her notice over a month before I moved. When we said goodbye she cried and told me I could live there so I could stay in college. Then she told me 'you'll always have a job here." When I moved back she accepted me back with open arms. But years later she started to change and she had a breakdown of sorts. As I stated she began yelling at us employees and swearing. Then one day I overheard her gossiping about me about something personal. I was hurt and angry. This was not you're typical job. She was more of a friend than a boss to us girls in the "office." I along with my friend who also worked there for years and then quit, were very hurt by her. We were very loyal, hardworking employees. One day we had a stat order and I got sick at work and was throwing up. But I didn't go home sick. I laid down on the couch til I felt better, then got right back to work. I was working full time but the company didn't have the money to give me health insurance when I was no longer on my parents plan. and I told her don't worry about it. I stayed after hours for free when we had last minute stat orders. So I was very loyal and very hardworking. The company owners had previously split into two companies. I chose to stay with her and her husband even though the other company offered me higher pay and benefits. Sorry this is so long. I'm going to contact her and try to reconcile.

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2013

Good day:

There are also many ways to ask "legal" questions to get around areas.

One of my favorite questions when checking references is "would you hire the person again?"

A simple "no" yells volumes.

Thank you.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2013

"Did this person give notice?" and "Is this person eligible for rehire" are VERY common questions that prospective employers will ask. If this was 6 years ago, you have presumably had other jobs since then, no? Land surveying is not really relevant to nursing- if you're worried, give prospective employers a different reference.

SleeepyRN · Mar 3, 2013

"Did this person give notice?" and "Is this person eligible for rehire" are VERY common questions that prospective employers will ask. If this was 6 years ago, you have presumably had other jobs since then, no? Land surveying is not really relevant to nursing- if you're worried, give prospective employers a different reference.

I have plenty of good references. I wasnt going to put that down as a reference. I just don't want it to be on my application so the prospective employer could call and ask exactly that "would you rehire?" But I don't want to hide it either because I'm concerned they would rescind a job offer if it came up on a background check. So like I said, I'm going to talk to her and reconcile. Not even just for job reasons, but because she was like a second family to me. Like I said, this was not your typical work environment.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2013

I have had plenty of jobs that are not on my resume. An employer doesn't care what you were doing when you were 19. From the age of 14 through 21, I worked at the newspaper in my town, my school district and the one my mother works in, my town's sewer department and an independent Medicaid billing agency owned by my father's friend. Some of these jobs, I have never listed on an application.

I seriously doubt that a nursing job offer would be rescinded because you failed to mention that you worked for a landscaping agency at the age of 19.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 3, 2013

In Illinois, is it legal for a former employer to tell your perspective employer (verifying employment history) how much (if any) notice you gave when you quit?

Your last employer can say anything they like about you as long as it's fact. So yes, they can tell them if you gave notice--or in your case, that you didn't give it--and it's perfectly legal for them to do so.

Unfortunately you can't go back in time to correct how you left that job...so keep the lesson in mind for the future.

Best of luck on your job search.