Current employer interferes with job opportunity

[j3ffr0]

A wholly-owned subsidiary of my current employer recently approached me with a job offer. I did not consider this unusual as people have left my company to work for this subsidiary (or one of their competitors) in the past. I was told that they had contacted my company's HR dept. and let their intentions be known before they even ever contacted me regarding the opportunity, and that my HR folks gave it a green light. My company is supposed to have been contacted by the subsidiary again once the decision to actually present me with an offer was made.

I was sent a written offer, and after reviewing it I verbally accepted. Later that same day, I was contacted by the hiring manager who informed me that my company had contacted his and that they were upset about them trying to hire me. My company demanded that the offer be rescinded until both companies could meet later this week to discuss things further, which the subsidiary did. I don't know which bothers me more- that my company would make such a demand or that they have the power to actually enforce it. The only positive is that I had not yet contacted my manager to officially tender my resignation, so I still have a job for the time being.

I do not know the law regarding such matters, but something about this strikes me as improper. Is what my company is doing, and what the subsidiary subsequently has done, legal? What recourse, if any, do I have if the offer remains rescinded?

Thank you in advance for your advice (State is SC)

 

[Beth3]

Is what my company is doing, and what the subsidiary subsequently has done, legal? Yes.

What recourse, if any, do I have if the offer remains rescinded? None.

The ball is entirely in your employer's court. All you can do is sit and wait and see what happens.

 

[seniorjudge]

A wholly-owned subsidiary of my current employer recently approached me with a job offer. I did not consider this unusual as people have left my company to work for this subsidiary (or one of their competitors) in the past. I was told that they had contacted my company's HR dept. and let their intentions be known before they even ever contacted me regarding the opportunity, and that my HR folks gave it a green light. My company is supposed to have been contacted by the subsidiary again once the decision to actually present me with an offer was made.

I was sent a written offer, and after reviewing it I verbally accepted. Later that same day, I was contacted by the hiring manager who informed me that my company had contacted his and that they were upset about them trying to hire me. My company demanded that the offer be rescinded until both companies could meet later this week to discuss things further, which the subsidiary did. I don't know which bothers me more- that my company would make such a demand or that they have the power to actually enforce it. The only positive is that I had not yet contacted my manager to officially tender my resignation, so I still have a job for the time being.

I do not know the law regarding such matters, but something about this strikes me as improper. Is what my company is doing, and what the subsidiary subsequently has done, legal? What recourse, if any, do I have if the offer remains rescinded?

Thank you in advance for your advice (State is SC)

So why do you think your potential employer did something wrong?

Explain that to me....

 

[Beth3]

judge, I expect he's thinking that an offer made cannot be rescinded which is not the case.

 

[seniorjudge]

judge, I expect he's thinking that an offer made cannot be rescinded which is not the case.

 

[j3ffr0]

Thank you for your posts.

As far as the subsidiary is concerned, yes, I was wondering if the rescinding itself was above board.

 

[roscoe706]

Hmm, methinks someone is playing the multiple poster game.

As usual, I will make my normal observation that most posters in this forum are HR robots who resent people that actually do something with their lives.
Sometimes, just bringing a lawyer with you to work is enough to get your point across.

In this case, it is all political. So you want to find out as much as you can and play johnny nice guy until you can make a move. You might actually make out better than you thought. If you have a mentor or someone higher up on the foor chain that you trust, go to them. But don't listen to idiots who say things like:

"The ball is entirely in your employer's court. All you can do is sit and wait and see what happens."

I certainly wouldn't want anyone working for me who followed that advice. No, you don't have any legal recourse. But you don't just sit on your hands and do nothing.

Also, see if you can get a consult with an actual employment lawyer. There are very few of those that post to this forum.