Said What? 4 Tips On What An Employer Can Say About You

Marie Raperto, The Hiring HubWhether you left a job on good terms or not, many of us wonder what a past employer can say about us.  It is generally thought that a company can only legally give the dates of employment, salary and job title but that's not true.  What can an employer really say:

• There are no federal laws prohibiting what an employer can say.  They can say that you were fired/terminated and can explain the reason for the termination.  State laws vary so check with your state labor department. But, in general,  an employer must be careful not to slander or libel an employee.
• Most employers are very cautious about what information they share and limit staff to sharing dates of employment and job titles only.
• To avoid any issues, you should ask what the company policy is during your exit interview.
• If a company does give out full information, what they say might be negotiable.  So ask.

Remember, most job applications have a notation that the information you provided is true and that you could be terminated if the information is proven false.  Usually, you can get fired year's later should true information become known.