Previous employer sharing info with prospective employers

[Ullr]

I resigned from a previous employer in late '93 under threat of termination. Since then I changed careers. I want to return to the previous career and am concerned about references. What, if any, are the limitations to what the previous employer can divulge to prospective employers, can a prospective employer be required to divulge info gathered from a previous one, and given the length of time that has passed, do I even need to worry about it? I was not even reported to my professional licensing agency (to my knowledge) much less given a hearing or expulsion. In short, do I have redress if I find myself unable to return to a previously sucessful career due to bad references?

Washington state.

Ullr

 

[loku]

WHAT, IF ANY, ARE THE LIMITATIONS TO WHAT THE PREVIOUS EMPLOYER CAN DIVULGE TO PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS
Previous employers can divulge to prospective employers any truthful information they have.

CAN A PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER BE REQUIRED TO DIVULGE INFO GATHERED FROM A PREVIOUS ONE
Such information can be had with discovery procedure if a case is pending. Otherwise, the answer is no.


GIVEN THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT HAS PASSED, DO I EVEN NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IT? I WAS NOT EVEN REPORTED TO MY PROFESSIONAL LICENSING AGENCY (TO MY KNOWLEDGE) MUCH LESS GIVEN A HEARING OR EXPULSION
Whether or not you need to worry about it depends on whether you include the previous employer in your resume and if you do, it depends on what their policy is with respect to giving out info.

DO I HAVE REDRESS IF I FIND MYSELF UNABLE TO RETURN TO A PREVIOUSLY SUCESSFUL CAREER DUE TO BAD REFERENCES?
You would have redress if (1) they told lies about you (that would be defamation); or (2) you could prove they willfully and maliciously kept you from getting employment (In Illinois, that is blacklisting).