Temp. Agencies

[lexi48]

What is the name of your state? KS

I realize this question does not really fall under the subject, and I am sorry for that, but I could not find a topic that this falls under. I was at a meeting tonight and several of the people there are unemployed. We got started discussing Temp. agencies. I said that one I went to told me that they would refuse to help me if my last employer would not give out any information other than dates of employment, my title and if they would rehire me. That is all my last employer will give out. They said it was against co. policy to reveal any other information. A bunch of people said that was illegal to refuse to work with me on finding a temp. job because if was against my last employers policy. I had another question so called an employment atty. here in town and they said that they strongly advise employers not to give any info out.

I have one other question, can a potential get medial information and claims that have been filed with your insurance co.? I am under the understanding that they cannot get this information due to HIPPA laws. I, along with most people I know anyway, would not want that information released. Do we have any privacy anymore.

Are actual atty.'s answering these questions? If not, who are? Law students?

Thanks

Lexi

 

[ecmst12]

Some attorneys, some law students, some educated lay people(me), and some dumbasses. Caveat emptor. Read all responses and see who sounds credible.

No, a potential employer can not get medical information from your insurance company. I can't imagine any even trying, or getting very far if they did, why would they even be interested?

An employer (including temp agency) can refuse to hire anyone for any reason as long as it's not discriminatory on the basis of age, race, gender, or a few other protected classifications. If they don't want to hire you because you don't have a good reference from your last employer, they're allowed. Find another temp agency, there's a million of them out there, most of them are not that selective.

 

[lexi48]

Temp. agencies

Thank you for your reply. The reason for the question regarding the medical and insurance was because I have several books from the library about interviewing and that is where I read it. I guess I should look at the date it was written. It might have been written before the HIPPA laws.

I had never heard of you being able to sue for that reason, which is why I asked. I have seen another temp. agency that is I guess you could say a "spin off" of this temp. agency. They had something I was interested in but figured I would get the same response so did not apply to the ad. It has been a while since I went to that temp. agency. I guess I could call and ask them. I am registered with other agencies and none of them have refused me. One agency however did have me fill out a questionaire and there were medical questions on there. Isn't that illegal?

Thanks,

Lexi

 

[lexi48]

Temp agencies

I stand partly corrected when I asked about a co. getting your health information. I found my book which the copywrite is 2004. It states that comanies sometimes use independent background investigators to get info that is illegal for the co. to ask such as: criminal background, marital status, family history, credit history (which I know is done alot and not always for hiring people), health issues, insurance claims, legal suits to name a few. What happened to privacy? What does marital status or family history have to do with anything. You asked about the health insurance. They may not want someone with a lot of heatlh problems as that could lead to higher premiums on the health insurance, lost time of work ect. For example, lets say that a friend of mine and I both interview at the same co. for the same job and we are both equally qualified, I would be the one to get the job. I know it is illegal and it is discrimination, but my friend, I am guessing weighs about 350 lbs. A co. would not tell that person she did not get the job because of that reason, but they can say we hired someone who fits our needs better.

Anyway, I just wanted to correct myself when I said I read a co. could get your health history. It isn't the co., but an outside firm doing it. I still think that would be illegal.

Lexi

 

[fairisfair]

if you sign a release, the company has a right to access any records covered by that release. If you are worried about it, then don't sign the release. However, don't expect to get the job. I have done recruiting for several agenicies, only in very rare cases is medical history a factor, and those are job specific.

As for temp agencies not helping anyone whose employer will not provide anything other than dates of employment etc. well, that is just crap. MOST employers will only provide dates of employment, some will provide the job title, a few will say whether or not the employee is eligible for rehire, some won't answer at all, etc. It is rare if ever, that an employer bases his entire hiring decision on the employment verification portion of the interviewing process. I think you may well have misunderstood what was being said to you. Or that is one funky agency.

Agencies are a great job source. There are good ones, and there are bad ones. Never pay a fee, never work exclusively with one agency, if they are good, they can take the competition and will have Clients that are willing to pay for their services.

I think the last person I would be taking advice from, was someone else who is unemployed.

 

[xylene]

I said that one I went to told me that they would refuse to help me if my last employer would not give out any information other than dates of employment, my title and if they would rehire me.

It is also possible that the person you were talking to was simply misunderstanding or miscommunicating their own policies.

Temp agencies I have worked with in the past will not send you out on new assignements if you are dismissed or otherwise given negative feedback from a previous assignment.

Temp Work over a hot grill: pay 7.75 hour
Knowing the Agency was charging the client: 17.75 an hour
Asking the kitchen manager to hire you directly: Free

Getting fired and 'blacklisted' by a temp agency: Priceless.

 

[fairisfair]

It is also possible that the person you were talking to was simply misunderstanding or miscommunicating their own policies.

Temp agencies I have worked with in the past will not send you out on new assignements if you are dismissed or otherwise given negative feedback from a previous assignment.

Temp Work over a hot grill: pay 7.75 hour
Knowing the Agency was charging the client: 17.75 an hour
Asking the kitchen manager to hire you directly: Free



Getting fired and 'blacklisted' by a temp agency: Priceless.

There are some agencies who pay their employees quite fairly. You are right, there are others that totally suck.

Filling out one application and being submitted, pre qualified, to numerous open positions, with motivated hiring managers, also priceless.

 

[lexi48]

Temp Agencies

The reason they gave that they would not work with me unless my last employer released more info, was because they could use the previous place you worked. That would be impossible as they no longer exsist. The gal said that you need to stay in touch with your former supervisors, even if it is just a Christmas card. That is crazy. I told that to my dad who has been a supervisor and he said he never kept in touch with former employees. With the job market like it is and companies closing ect. it would be very hard to keep track of a former supervisor.


Lexi

 

[BelizeBreeze]

What is the name of your state? KS

I realize this question does not really fall under the subject, and I am sorry for that, but I could not find a topic that this falls under. I was at a meeting tonight and several of the people there are unemployed. We got started discussing Temp. agencies. I said that one I went to told me that they would refuse to help me if my last employer would not give out any information other than dates of employment, my title and if they would rehire me. That is all my last employer will give out. They said it was against co. policy to reveal any other information. A bunch of people said that was illegal to refuse to work with me on finding a temp. job because if was against my last employers policy.

you are running with a bunch of idiots.

I had another question so called an employment atty. here in town and they said that they strongly advise employers not to give any info out.

Because of the kinds of idiots who think they can sue at the drop of a hat and then the company ends up spending thousands defending themselves from these idiots.

I have one other question, can a potential get medial information and claims that have been filed with your insurance co.?

That is two questions. First, medical information is protected and only can be released with your permission. second, yes, if you have filed a claim that information is sometimes public.

I am under the understanding that they cannot get this information due to HIPPA laws.

See above.

I, along with most people I know anyway, would not want that information released.

So don't release it.

Do we have any privacy anymore.

yes, and this is relevant to what?

Are actual atty.'s answering these questions?

yes

If not, who are? Law students?

sometimes people who don't have a clue, like that idiot bunch you mentioned.

 

[Gadfly]

Have you tried a different agency?

 

[lexi48]

Temp Agencies

Yes, I am registered with a number of temp. agencies. One I have done an assignment for said she was working on something for me. I am trying not to get my hopes up. Two agencies I have never heard of called me as they got my resume online. One said he had a job at a very big co. here in town and when I went I had to take some tests and then was told they would keep my resume. I asked about the job he mentioned. He had even told me the salary. He asked me what job? He did not even remember telling me about a job he wanted me to come in and apply for. The other agency called with a job that I have done before. He ended up telling me about 2 other jobs that had nothing to do with a claims examiner. He said he would try to set up something and call me in the afternoon but never did and he never answered my e-mails.

 

[cbg]

Be wary of the ones who "find your resume online" and call you, especially if you never heard of them. They generally are only looking to build up their resume file and it's rare that anything comes of them.

Try contacting the big national agencies as well as the small local ones; Kelly, Manpower, Ranstaad. And don't overlook the big online "agencies" such as Monster or Hotjobs; I really have found both jobs and employees through them!

 

[ecmst12]

To get the best response from a temp agency, you really need to call them every day, preferably twice. Once at about 7am for the emergency call-out jobs, and once in the late afternoon, 2 or 3, for the jobs for the next day. This shows them that you are really serious and eager about working, and you will be more likely to get better assignments. If you just sit around and wait for them to find you a job, you will be waiting a long time.

 

[fairisfair]

To get the best response from a temp agency, you really need to call them every day, preferably twice. Once at about 7am for the emergency call-out jobs, and once in the late afternoon, 2 or 3, for the jobs for the next day. This shows them that you are really serious and eager about working, and you will be more likely to get better assignments. If you just sit around and wait for them to find you a job, you will be waiting a long time.

No offense, but OMG, please no!! Do you know how many people come into an agency on a daily basis? Please call twice a week, no more, no less. It shows that you are eager to work and persistant, but not sitting around waiting for someone else to find you a job. This may work with agencies that are "body finders" but not with those that take special care in matching qualified employees to permanent positions.

 

[cbg]

I agree with fairisfair. Calling twice a day may occasionally work for you, but more often it's going to mean your calls get referred to as, "Sally, it's the pest again. You talk to her this time; I've already said no four times this week".