How much is my former employer allowed to say?

How much is my former employer allowed to say about me?

undefinedWhat is the name of your state?indiana (I'm sorry, I've never been on a message board before so I'm not sure what I'm doing).

I have gone a year without getting a job and I think it is because my human resources person and I had a big personality conflict. I have done really well on typing tests for law firms, etc., yet when they contact my former h.r., I never hear from the prospective employer again. I think my former h.r. is really determined that I "not work in this town again." Can anyone help me and let me know just how much information (negative) she is allowed to say to people thinking about hiring me? I live in Indiana. HELP! (And don't know how to do the message boards - never been on one before).

You're doing just fine on the message boards, Jenny.

An employer is allowed to say anything they choose as long as it it true or their honest opinion.

Doing well on the typing tests is not the only criteria. There are a great many people looking for work just now and it's by no means unusual for it to take many months to find a new job, even if your references are perfect. References are only one of the criteria used and it's not even the most important one.

What I'm saying is that there can be a great many reasons why you are having a hard time getting work that have nothing to do with your references. But even if that is the reason, unless they are saying something that is an out and out lie ("Jenny was fired for stealing" is a lie. "We didn't think Jenny had the skills we wanted for the long term" is an opinion and perfectly legal) it's not illegal.

I have gone a year without getting a job and I think it is because my human resources person and I had a big personality conflict.

Why do you think this?

Click POST REPLY and start typing and then click SUBMIT REPLY.

Feel I'm Suffering the Wrath of a Very Mean H.R.

(State: Indiana). Thank you, CBG, for answering me. So somebody is out there after all. The answer was not the one I wanted to hear. It means I have no legal recourse against her if I were to find out that she is the reason for my one year of unemployment.

Sr. Judge said why do I think my H.R. person is the cause of this? Because on an interview you can get a sense of what your chances are, and in several interviews I thought it was a done deal that I had the job but the last step is to call the h.r. (who was also my supervisor). We had several exchanges where she actually told me she did not like me as a person (nothing about my work). She, in my opinion, was unethical and did things like telling us ahead of time when someone was going to be fired.

jenny-rose said:

(State: Indiana). Thank you, CBG, for answering me. So somebody is out there after all. The answer was not the one I wanted to hear. It means I have no legal recourse against her if I were to find out that she is the reason for my one year of unemployment.

Sr. Judge said why do I think my H.R. person is the cause of this? Because on an interview you can get a sense of what your chances are, and in several interviews I thought it was a done deal that I had the job but the last step is to call the h.r. (who was also my supervisor). We had several exchanges where she actually told me she did not like me as a person (nothing about my work). She, in my opinion, was unethical and did things like telling us ahead of time when someone was going to be fired.

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I have hired a lot of people in my life and I always depend on MY judgment, not what some former employer said.

Keep looking.

While I can't tell you it never happens, most employers will not allow one bad reference to rule the decision. If your other references are good, it is highly unlikely that in each and every instance the employer opted out of hiring you because of what only one person said.

When I am hiring, I always check references on at least three people. That means at least two people are going to have their references checked but still not get the job. From what I understand talking to my HR colleagues, I am in the majority in doing it that way.

This is a very bad job market. It is not unusual for someone to take a year or more to find a new job.

Assuming that you are correct (and at this point we have nothing that definitely shows that you are) what are you doing to combat what is said?

Got My Answer, Why Was My Question "Graded"?

Indiana. I felt I had a legitimate question and to see that it is rated as "terrible" really boosts my self-confidence and any desire to ever visit a message board again is gone. Wow. And what's the "report bad message about"? My question was very important to me and I received the answer to it. I'm gone.

jenny-rose said:

Indiana. I felt I had a legitimate question and to see that it is rated as "terrible" really boosts my self-confidence and any desire to ever visit a message board again is gone. Wow. And what's the "report bad message about"? My question was very important to me and I received the answer to it. I'm gone.

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What are you talking about?

Sorry - Think I Misinterpreted Icons

Indiana. I apologize - I saw "rate the thread" and one star said "terrible." By my message was one star. But I think it meant I had subscribed to the string. Then, the icon for "report bad message" was on the answers I received. It's my fault, I am totally inexperienced with message boards and misinterpreted the icons. I do appreciate the answers - I feel the job market is terrible right now so maybe it is a combination of factors why I am still looking. Thanks for the information.

jenny-rose said:

Indiana. I apologize - I saw "rate the thread" and one star said "terrible." By my message was one star. But I think it meant I had subscribed to the string. Then, the icon for "report bad message" was on the answers I received. It's my fault, I am totally inexperienced with message boards and misinterpreted the icons. I do appreciate the answers - I feel the job market is terrible right now so maybe it is a combination of factors why I am still looking. Thanks for the information.

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You are welcome.