Job Application questions

[arichelle]

I went on disability in 6/01 and was supposed to return to work 1/02, however, I received a "termination of position" letter in the mail. Now, I'm filling out job applications and have a couple questions about the correct dates/information to put down:

1) For "End Date," would I put 6/01 because that was the last time I worked, or would I put 1/02 because that was when I was supposed to return to work, and I still had benefits until that time.

2) What would I put for "Reason for Leaving?" Would I put "terminated" or would it be okay to put "disability" and then explain that I was terminated while on disability (the company had some set backs and had to cut hours and lay off people)?

3) While I was on disability, we had a change of management. My supervisor retired around the same time I went on disability. Would I write her name as my "supervisor" because I techically never worked for this new supervisor (the one who sent me the letter of termination)?

4) Is "termination" the same as being fired or is that considered being laid off because the company had set backs?

Thank you so much in advance.

San Francisco, CA

 

[cbg]

There's more than one way to do it that would be valid, but as an employer I'll tell you what I would want to see. Another employer might feel differently; there's more than one right answer.

1.) If I were interviewing you, I would want you to put 1/02 on the application, but explain to me in the interview that you had been on medical leave for six months and that while you were out, your company had suffered setbacks and been forced to terminate your position.

2.) I would say something like, position eliminated. You don't want to draw attention to your having been on disability because you don't want employers to wonder if you are going to be all right to come back to work. (You don't want to hide it, either - best to be honest and mention it; then leave it alone.)

3.) Use the supervisor that you actually reported to. If you have her permission to do so, give her number or address as a reference. You might want to mention that she is no longer in that position and that you never actually worked for the person who replaced her.

4.) To most HR people, terminated is a generic word meaning, you involuntarily left the position; whether it be for layoffs, medical leave, fired, whatever. There is nothing wrong with the word; however, there are just enough of the old guard left to whom "terminated" automatically means "fired" (although I think that's senseless in today's economy) that I recommend using something more specific as I suggested in #2. The word itself means different things to different people.

Hope this helps!

 

[arichelle]

cbg,

Thanks for the advice. I did just that when i filled out my job application today. I remember a couple weeks ago when you helped me out with the first problem - finding out I got terminated while on disability. I found out that I wasn't "fired", but laid off instead. Are employers not obligated to tell you about unemployment benefits? Also, is there a correct term for being "laid off"? Thanks again for all your help.

 

[cbg]

Whether or not an employer is required to tell you about unemployment benefits is dependent upon state law. In my state, even if an employee quit and spent the entire two weeks of his notice talking about the wonderful new job he just got with a huge increase and a higher level of responsibility, I still have to give him a form explaining how to file for unemployment benefits within 30 days of his last day of work. On the other hand, I have employees in a state where I could legally not say anything to them at all and hope that they don't ever find out how to do it.

Regarding the terminology, different phrases mean different things to different people and it's almost generational. To the generation above me, terminated means fired and laid off means a temporary shut down where you can be called back. To my generation, terminated means you don't work here any more for whatever reason and laid off means you left involuntarily but you may or may not be coming back. To the generation below me, as far as I can tell, they're pretty much interchangeable.