Started new job and then this happens (how much, unemployment)

[scirocco]

Hello,

Ok, so started new job in early July. On my resume I did a little bit of padding here and there. Mostly to do with start dates of jobs etc. I was unemployed for almost 2 years and created a job overseas to cover time spent unemployed. Believe me folks when I tell you that employers really dont take too kindly to extended periods of unemployment in this day and age. So, in early July , spoke with the company HR and did interview for job. Contacted a few days later to say that they wanted me to start in a weeks time. Now, I was wrong to ever think that they conduct a background check and then make the job offer. At least that is how I thought it went. But now 5 weeks into job, I get email from HR "we need to see you". All kinds of alarm bells went off. Then I went to the HR office, was told there that there were some questions that have arisen from backgroud check. Some like college diploma which can be produced to them. No prob there. Then they send me very pointed email asking for this and that. Namely, offer letter and pay stub for job overseas / tax return for that job. The whole tone of the email is very formal in all. Now there is little to no chance I can ever produce an offer letter along with pay stub etc. as I really only put that down to cover my extended period of unemployment.
At this point, I know things are getting serious and I am looking at my options. For anybody that has knowledge of such matters, please leave some feedback. And I know I know, it was stupid thing to put down in first place. But since company is no longer in business and impossible to contact them I thought it would be ok. Desparate times folks, call for drastic measures.
Now I am just thinking in terms of remaining paychecks in this gig. I have a gut feeling to bail now and avoid more problems in the future. If promotion comes up this could be a real issue.
Last thing is that HR was really intense and more than I thought they would be.
I guess the qst remains, since I can in no way produce a pay stub or tax return for overseas job, and they want proof as they noted in their message to me, is it too wishful thinking to believe they will just overlook this red flag in my background check.
Quit now and look for another job or wait till they fire me?

[clongirl]

Sounds like you'll eventually be fired. Might as well wait for this to happen so you can at least claim unemployment.

Next time don't put things on your resume that aren't true. Same thing happened to the former CEO of yahoo...remember him?

[justinbro2002]

I could be wrong but if you are living and working overseas for and extended amount of time you are not required to file taxes in the US. So depnding on if you want to come clean, play stupid until you get fired or ride this lie out. There are several websites that offer all kinds of help in just this kind of matter. You could get a an overseas cellphone number and have a Friend act as a referance. At this point you have nothing to lose as long as this isn't a government job there is little they can do besides fire you.

[RWingFan]

Well you knew this day was potentially coming, what were your escape plans? I would be looking for other jobs now while I was employed, your still a human being and their just an employer dont let them beat you around if you can't produce a document you cant produce it, infact more than likely I would be pressing them, if you want unemployment moneys then your route is clear, If were only talking about one fictions job, I would mention in a meeting with them that your a puzzled that you find yourself in a work environment where your integrity is being brought into questions after you had been interviewed, screened, hired, and demonstrated proficiency at the job, whats the concern? I will do my own research for this but is asking for your tax returns a common practice of corporate America? That seems like in invasion of personal privacy

[scirocco]

Yep I thought of having a friend vouch for me and say I worked at this fictitious job. I in fact stated that they could contact this person at the HR meeting, but they did not want to explore that option. It seems to me from their tone and whole manner during the HR visit that they were not taking any **** so to speak. As I mentioned earlier, in previous jobs, in the event they need clarification etc. they just ask for ph numbers. Not this time. I mean how many people actually keep offer letters from previous jobs to produce later on ?. As for pay stubs and bank statements , how much else do they really want?.
The whole kicker about this situation is that I am getting on quite well in this job up till now. The job is hardcore customer service and the kind of deal that really requires undivided attention and focus. Now with present events, it will be mighty difficult to keep a clear head and have the impending likelihood of another visit from HR to ask why I can't produce supporting documents in the next few days. I know I can push it off a bit and buy some time, but really that is delaying the inevitable. I also feel that if I screw with them more that they could sue for wages already paid.
I recall from an earlier job that there were differences in the background check for dates worked and they let it slide. In this company, they really must examine with a fine tooth comb every detail.

Re: tax returns ---- they want tax returns or bank statements for the country I was supposedly working in.
So , I did think of creating some documents but then again if things really get hairy, they could really come down hard .

I blame that guy Thompson from Yahoo for everything ....lol......What bugs me now is if I continue to use this fake job in my resume , will a similar situation arise with written proof in the form of documents ....or is this just an isolated case.

As it stands, I am still officially in training at this job and go "live" next week. The job was not my first choice iin all honesty and did it for the last few weeks to get some money coming in again.

Last thing is that this a job for an entity under CA state auspices. So, I dont really want to mess with them

The best course of action maybe to just state to HR that it is impossible to produce documents for that job and just leave it at that. Tender the resignation letter on the grounds that something the HR said at the meeting " just confirming that it is a legit ompany and not some drugdealing operation " and claim that I was offended by this remark and as such fail to have confidence in this company and their approach to new employees. This might distract from the fact that I can't produce the documents.
But in any case, even if I plead with them I can't present any offical documents to prove employment, then I dont for one minute believe that they will just let it go and move on.

[asnboy1084]

Create a phony document, you've already gone this far! it's not hard to doctor a letter or to pay someone off at an overseas company to vouch for you.

[scirocco]

The company I put for my "former job" is only around in name only. It went bancrupt a year ago. See that was the thinking on my part: to create a fake job in a company not around anymore. If and when they did try and contact them, no phone number to answer or valid email. These guys at that company are embroiled in legal proceedings and the business is gone bust. Usually, HR would just ask for a ph number and a contact name. In this case, they are looking for far far more.

[DocGoldstein]

Scirocco, this is the equivalent of telling a an insanely gorgeous woman you have a 12 inch penis, then having her call your bluff. I don't envy your situation, but it's exciting, my heart is actually beating faster thinking about it.

Could you possibly falsify a check stub, or perhaps claim you were paid on an invoice basis as an independent contractor? Much easier to fake invoices than check stubs IMO.

[scirocco]

For now, Docgold I will keep my foot long in my pants and just let her wonder what if .....hmmmmmm........But seriously, I looked into the whole fake pay stub thing and phony offer letter and the consequences for doing so are quite dire. The best option maybe to just detract from the failure to produce the documents to saying for instance, that I feel uncomfortable with the insinuation that in the words of the HR mgr "no illegal activity such as drugdealing going on" as an excuse to part ways with the company.

[wooliemonster]

Vandelay Industries