Unfairly on Not Eligible for Rehire List

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Unfairly on Not Eligible for Rehire List

Dear Nurse Beth,

How do I get off the ineligible for rehire list?

4 years ago I was placed not eligible for rehire however I feel like it was done maliciously. I never had a bad review or given a warning, but bc I only gave 1 week's notice for my last shift as a per diem nurse, my manager put me down to never be rehired again. In all honesty, I feel like my history would have been enough for him to understand but not so much. Within the 1st month of being hired my mom was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. 9 months later my father died suddenly, and then the following year my mom died and 3 months after that I had my 1st baby. I was diagnosed with postpartum depression and was put on medication. At that point, I had dropped down from full-time, to part-time and after the birth of my son, I became per diem. I had no child care and couldn't do my last shift. Now 4 years later I am trying to get off that list. Any suggestions for when I speak to HR?

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4 Answers

Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Dear Trying,

I'm sorry about your losses and suffering from postpartum depression.

It does sound like you were punished for giving short notice and calling off on your last shift. If your floor was short-staffed at the time you called off, your choices could have caused your manager a staffing problem and frustration, and his reaction may have been to write you off, in essence.

It's never good to burn your bridges because it's better to leave your options open.

The problem is that there's not much recourse since it is not illegal for an organization to deem an ex-employee not eligible for rehire. It's their prerogative.

What can happen is that, given time, nurse managers turn over, HR employees turn over, computer systems change, and after a time the Not Eligible for Rehire status may be forgotten or lost in old records.

It sounds like this hasn't happened in your case. You could try to talk to HR and ask if there's anything you can do to change your status, but chances are you'd do better to contact your previous manager if he is still there. Apologize for leaving without due notice, and explain that you would like another chance to work there.

You say your work record was otherwise good, and 4 years is long enough to soften someone's heart. It could be that he's not actively keeping you on the list, but that you are not on his radar either way.

It sounds like it is important to you to work there again, so give it a shot. You have nothing to lose.

If you don't succeed, then move forward and look elsewhere.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

If you didn't give the amount of notice as required by the facility and you called out for your last shift, being made ineligible for rehire was a matter of policy — it's not personal. But I wouldn't call it unfair, either. Sometimes it is best to accept that your actions had consequences and to move on. 

Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.
On 2/14/2022 at 10:44 PM, Nurse Beth said:

I only gave 1 week's notice for my last shift as a per diem nurse

My organization will list anyone giving less than two weeks notice as "do not rehire". If you choose to reach out to HR, I would not necessarily give an explanation for why you did not work your last shift. I am truly sorry for all the losses that you endured. However, employers are not necessarily going to be moved and it may not further your cause to appear defensive. 

Specializes in Psychiatric.

Years ago, I was let go from a facility because I wrote up an incident report pointing the finger at administration for not providing me with adequate staffing and a patient fell, sustaining a head injury.  Ten years passed and one day I met with the current CEO.  I explained what happened and she was very sympathetic and asked me to apply again.  I did, and was hired back. The passage of time can work wonders, so don't worry and in time things will be forgotten and will change.

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