| Despite what some job seekers think, it is not illegal for | | | | So even though references were checked, they |
| former employers to tell reference checkers that you | | | | revealed nothing about this criminal's activities. And he |
| were fired. They can say anything they want as long | | | | was passed along from one hospital to the next, |
| as it's true. | | | | allegedly killing patients in each one until he was finally |
| But many companies do have policies that limit what | | | | caught. |
| they will reveal about past employees. | | | | This is a very extreme example of how such |
| Is this a good thing or a bad thing? | | | | personnel policies are, in my opinion, doing more harm |
| I was watching an episode of CBS's "60 Minutes" | | | | than good. This sword cuts both ways, after all. If |
| recently (hmmm, maybe I watch too much TV; no | | | | you've done a truly exceptional job for your past |
| wait, this is "research," so it's OK). They had a shocking | | | | employer, wouldn't you want that employer to be free |
| story about a male hospital worker who is suspected | | | | to confirm your glowing accomplishments during a |
| of killing more than 40 patients in several different | | | | reference check? |
| hospitals during the past decade. He pleaded guilty to | | | | Things are changing, thank goodness. According to the |
| two of the murders. | | | | Society of Human Resource Management, employers |
| That is very disturbing by itself... but what makes this | | | | are conducting more criminal checks than ever before. |
| story so incredibly worse is that his employers | | | | The need to provide a safe workplace is helping to |
| unwittingly helped him do it! This guy had been fired | | | | drive this increase. Plus companies that were once |
| many times for a variety of reasons -- hoarding | | | | worried about being sued by a former employee over |
| potentially harmful drugs, illegally administering | | | | a bad reference are now more concerned about |
| unprescribed treatments, being negligent with patients | | | | being sued by an employer who wasn't warned about |
| -- and other alarming actions. He'd even been | | | | a bad employee! |
| convicted of something (I can't recall the charge). | | | | Regardless of the threat of lawsuits (don't get me |
| Yet he never had a problem getting another job at | | | | started on that), the bottom line for job seekers is that |
| another hospital. Why? Because his former employers | | | | you should not assume your former employer will only |
| all had policies that prevented them from providing any | | | | provide your dates of employment and job title. If you |
| information about past employees, other than job titles | | | | were fired, it may be revealed. If you were an |
| and dates of employment. | | | | outstanding employee, it may be revealed. |
| Apparently the hospital's lawyers were trying to | | | | If you're unsure of what your past employer's policy is, |
| protect them from lawsuits that could possibly result if | | | | call them and find out. It's a good thing to know! |
| something negative (and not proven as fact) was said | | | | You may reprint/republish this article if you include my |
| about a past employee which prevented that | | | | name and a link to this website. |
| employee from obtaining another job. | | | | |