[BC] Termination

[Bill Croghan]

	It does not take a mind reader to listen to the way questions are
answered when following up on References/previous employers.  Quite often
the degree of enthusiasm shown by the person you are talking to will give
you a hint without any overt statement of good and bad. In other cases,
simply experience in the business will put a person on a do not hire list,
since those of us in management have been around a while usually and have
heard the horror stories, watched the job hopping, or seen the bad work done
by some of those applying.  If Ii know that a person has had 12 job in the
last 6 years, I can be suspicious that there might be a reason.  If an
employee of a competitor in town has a sloppy operation it may be reasonable
to assume that they do sloppy work.  When I hear of major FCC fines for
engineering violations, I have to be suspicious that he engineer involved
probably could have done something about it.  If an employee does not have a
drivers license and comes from a area without a good mass transit system,
you have to wonder if they lost it to a DWI or other driving habit that
might make them less than a good candidate for driving a station vehicle,
even if they got a license.  IF I have received a application from the same
person for every job I've advertised for the last 10 years be it major or
small market openings, I have to be a bit suspicious.
	None of these things would be an illegal act, just prudent
management.  Also they might all have good explanations for one of the
above, but to many of them stacked together make me wonder.
	Yes, we usually are looking for good, qualified engineers who have
good reputations.  Our company probably gives people more chance than most
but even we have our limits and will eventually give up.  I'd rather head
that off pre hire.

Bill



   

> -----Original Message-----
> From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net [mailto:broadcast-
> bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Craig Bowman
> Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2007 10:54 AM
> To: Broadcasters' Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [BC] Termination
> 
> You can be sued for anything, your suit will be successfully if you say
> something which you cannot back up.  Most companies just do not want the
> hassle.  If you had an employee who came to work drunk, stole money, and
> sold your secrets to your competition you are free to communicate that
> with anyone who inquires.  If you are sued you had better be prepared to
> back it up.  Likewise, if you had a former employee who performed
> exceptionally well you are free to relay that but be prepared to back it
> up should he turn out to be a dud for the new employer.  It is all about
> documentation and the current unwillingness of many companies to risk
> litigation.
> 
> Craig Bowman
> 
> 
> Paul Smith W4KNX wrote:
> > That "Blue" company's response to give hire and termination dates only
> is
> > SOP from most companies today.  You can be sued if you say anything
> > derogotory about someone.  You can however answer the question "would
> you
> > rehire?" with a yes or no answer without elaborating.
> >
> > Paul Smith
> > W4KNX
> > Sarasota, FL
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net
> > [mailto:broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net]On Behalf Of PeterH5322
> > Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2007 12:09 PM
> > To: Broadcasters' Mailing List
> > Subject: [BC] Termination
> >
> >
> >
> >  >Every group broadcaster has a 'No hire list'. They might not be in
> > writing,
> >  >but they nontheless exist. A few VP's have told me this is not true,
> they
> >  >consider everyone equally, but based upon what dozens have told me
> > privately
> >  >who would know, the VP's are lying. After all, the have to....these
> might
> >  >well be illegal too.
> >
> > A "blacklist" exists within almost every corporation.
> >
> > It exists, usually, on a former employee's "termination interview"
> > document.
> >
> > A "check box" named "do not rehire". It is set by the terminating
> manager
> > [ * ] , with the approval of that manager's HR rep.
> >
> > However, I have seen former employees who had been marked "do not
> rehire"
> > be rehired, provided the hiring manager's executive chain was
> different
> > from the terminating manager's executive chain, and the hiring
> manager's
> > executive chain made a good case (to HR) that the former employee's
> > skills were necessary for the business purpose.
> >
> > It is my understanding that this is illegal only if an employee's "do
> not
> > rehire" (i.e., "blacklist") status is disclosed to another
> corporation.
> >
> > Normally, such disclosure would only be made by an HR rep, anyway, and
> > then only under special circumstances, although prospective hiring
> > managers will often attempt to get the terminating manager to make
> such a
> > disclosure.
> >
> > The strangest case I encountered was a prospective employee who listed
> a
> > certain large "blue" corporation as a reference.
> >
> > Inquiries resulted in a terse letter from "blue's" HR department which
> > stated:
> >
> >
> > "So-and-so worked for us from <starting date> to <ending date> with an
> > ending salary of <dollars per annum>.
> >
> > "He is a loyal American".
> >
> >
> > Two lines, and that's all there was.
> >
> > Bizarre.
> >
> >
> > [ * ] Here I am making no distinction between "voluntary termination"
> > (the employee resigned), and "involuntary termination" (the employee
> was
> > fired for cause).
> >
> > Many terminating employees think they are leaving in good stead should
> > they and HR agree to mark their file as a voluntary termination.
> >
> > However, there is often such a thing as "resigned to avoid
> termination",
> > and this may be handled in a separate way, which is actually a third
> > category of termination, and which is usually very bad news for the
> > former employee.
> >
> > For, who is to know whether one resigned over something as innocuous
> as a
> > difference in employee or manager "style", or over something much more
> > substantive?
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > The BROADCAST [BC] list is sponsored by SystemsStore On-Line Sales
> > Cable-Connectors-Blocks-Racks-Wire Management-Test Gear-Tools and
> More!
> > www.SystemsStore.com       Tel: 407-656-3719    Sales at SystemsStore.com
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > The BROADCAST [BC] list is sponsored by SystemsStore On-Line Sales
> > Cable-Connectors-Blocks-Racks-Wire Management-Test Gear-Tools and
> More!
> > www.SystemsStore.com       Tel: 407-656-3719    Sales at SystemsStore.com
> >
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________
> 
> The BROADCAST [BC] list is sponsored by SystemsStore On-Line Sales
> Cable-Connectors-Blocks-Racks-Wire Management-Test Gear-Tools and More!
> www.SystemsStore.com       Tel: 407-656-3719    Sales at SystemsStore.com