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I was terminated from employment this past July. The only reason given was for performance. No additional details were given. The company policy is to only give dates of employment and title and that's it. I recently found out through the grapevine that my former manager had given a caller more than the company line in regards to the reason why I was no longer employed at the facility. He did mention the fact that I was terminated and that I was not eligible for rehire based on the termination. I'm sort of debating contacting the HR reps at my old company to complain about my former manager. However, I doubt that will do a lot of good.
What I have been doing on recent job apps is to select the do not contact check box when asked if they can contact this former employer. To me, that's like waving a huge red flag in front of someone's face. Can anyone give me some ideas of how I can get around this former manager just blabbing about my termination?
I was terminated from employment this past July. The only reason given was for performance. No additional details were given. The company policy is to only give dates of employment and title and that's it. I recently found out through the grapevine that my former manager had given a caller more than the company line in regards to the reason why I was no longer employed at the facility. He did mention the fact that I was terminated and that I was not eligible for rehire based on the termination. I'm sort of debating contacting the HR reps at my old company to complain about my former manager. However, I doubt that will do a lot of good.
What I have been doing on recent job apps is to select the do not contact check box when asked if they can contact this former employer. To me, that's like waving a huge red flag in front of someone's face. Can anyone give me some ideas of how I can get around this former manager just blabbing about my termination?
That's unfortunate.
That is going to be a major obstacle.
People get fired. It happens. The best thing to do IMHO is to say you were terminated because you had a difference in philosophy with your old boss. There's really no other way around it than to try and just gloss over it like that.
Another option would be to say that you got laid off, and gamble that they reach one of the HR people who will just give them the dates and that's it. You could also call your old manager and talk it out with him, but I assume that option is off the table.
Can you just put an HR name and number and not the manager?
Yes. I had some concerns about this a couple months ago and I contacted the HR person who helped process my termination. Since the facility was in the process of being sold, she told me to put her contact information down. I had some concerns about doing that as the facility I used to work at is in Maine while the HR folks are in another state. I just worried that it would look odd that I was putting an HR person down as the contact.
For me, I took on a six month temporary position that will end in a couple of weeks. In this position, I've had to deal with a very wide variety of people with a wide variety of backgrounds and at various levels. Feedback that my manager has been given is that I do have very good people skills and that I represented myself and my department in an exemplary manner. I intend to use this feedback and the reference from my manager as an indicator that my prior manager was wrong on his assessment.
I had a 3 month temp job as well and can now use THAT employer as a reference since I was laid off and not fired and he said he'd hire me back since I did great work.
I'd indeed start by contacting your former employer's HR dept. If that doesn't work you can try a cease and desist letter but it may not work as they are only stating facts and not slandering you per se. Finally I'd consider faking the reference. Giving a friend or family member's phone number and have him pretend to be the supervisor.
I would call HR and tell them that you heard that your former manager is violating company policy and that you would like the matter addressed so it does not occur in the future. Right now you are operating off rumor. If you want proof, pay a background company to run a background on you. You could even skip that and just have friend call, saying they are doing a background check on you and see how much the former manager tells them and go from there.
You can go the 'soft' route and speak with HR about company policy and the manager's inappropriate blabbing.
Or you can take the tough approach and call the manager directly and explain to him politely but firmly that if ever says another thing about your performance while you worked for him that he better be prepared to face the law suit from hell. Capiche?
That usually gets their attention.
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