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I don't know for sure but I remember (mid to late 1980s) an HR guy at the big aerospace company I worked at then, tell me that all they tell them is date started and date ended. I'm not sure if he said they also tell them pay starting and ending. I don't think there was any mention of reason for leaving.
Probably doesn't help much, but that's what I vaguely remember.
One thing to add to the thread is a lot of job applications ask "May we contact your [past, present] employer?" If you had a problem with one of them, then what do you do? I suppose if you did you should still say OK, because saying NO sends a bad message. At least there's a chance the potential employer either won't call or the old employer want say anything bad.
Many companies will only give out your date of hire, when you left the company, and if you are elgible for rehire. Beyond that they usually require a signed release from you stating what information they can give out on you. My current employer required me to give them permission to request several things from my past employers including a copy of everything in my personnal file. Have no idea what they ended up actually asking for from my past employers.
This might sound bad, but there are ways companies can imply things about a former employee just in answering that simple question about whether or not someone is eligible for rehire.
There is the nice simple "No, that person is not eligible for rehire at this time", or the more sinister "Oh, no, no, that person is not eligible for rehire, would you like the number for our corporate personnel department to verify the reason for involuntary termination?"
A company can only say when you started and when you left the job. If the company tries to give you a bad reputation they can face a lawsuit. I had a company one time try to give me a bad rap. They provided false information and I ended up in court with them. This has made companies scared of lawsuits so they will give little information. If they do give bad information you do have recourse. There is a law that protects former employees.
A company can only say when you started and when you left the job.
Wrong.
Quote:
If the company tries to give you a bad reputation they can face a lawsuit. I had a company one time try to give me a bad rap. They provided false information and I ended up in court with them. This has made companies scared of lawsuits so they will give little information. If they do give bad information you do have recourse. There is a law that protects former employees.
A company can say whatever they want about you as long as it's objective and factual. They can say that you were fired for repeatedly coming in late after several warnings as long as it's true. They can say that you got into several verbal altercations with coworkers, and were ultimately fired for a physical altercation with a coworker, as long as it's true.
If they give false information or use subjective language, you can sue for slander. But as long as what they say is true, they can say it. Try to sue when they've acted within the law and given a poor but factual and objective reference, and you'll not only lose but will also be blackballed in your industry.
This might sound bad, but there are ways companies can imply things about a former employee just in answering that simple question about whether or not someone is eligible for rehire.
There is the nice simple "No, that person is not eligible for rehire at this time", or the more sinister "Oh, no, no, that person is not eligible for rehire, would you like the number for our corporate personnel department to verify the reason for involuntary termination?"
This is true. I got a phone call looking for a reference on a former coworker who was at best marginal at her job (the only reason she wasn't let go was because her boss was a pushover who was really too nice to be a manager and did anything he could to avoid confrontation) and created havoc in the office. She was in payroll and spoke openly to coworkers about people's salaries, garnishments, etc., and if there was drama in the office, you can bet she was involved.
After she left (after giving and rescinding notice half a dozen times, the last time she tried and her bosses boss told her "no way, it's over, you gave notice, you're gone") someone called for a reference. I answered the phone, and said, "Oh, her." My tone of voice was like this ----> :smack : Then I said I'd have to transfer them to someone who could give them "some info" and sent them to the voice mail of the HR guy, who had left 15 minutes earlier for a two week vacation. (oops... )
What I did was perfectly legal and within the law, I don't know if that person ever called back and got her former supervisor on the phone, but I tend to think that after the tone I use with those two words, probably not.
Why on earth do people reply to posts like this when they clearly don't know the answer. It is perfectly legal to say things about employees other than validating employment and salary. Just because a lot of companies don't give out information doesn't make it illegal.
Honestly, the third post in this thread links to a very good explanation of can be said yet people post after that with information that is just plain wrong.
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