Damage control during job hunt....

[Freedom]

Another point - In Canada, or in Alberta, it is ILLEGAL for a prospective employer to ask ANYTHING about your previous job performance. All they are allowed to verify is that you are working, or did work, where you did.

If he has friends, particularly within the school, that he can use as personal/professional references, they can back up that he is good, and validate his current difficulties with the principal, again without getting into the 'gossip' arena.

There IS a perfect spot for your hubby - you just wait!

First point, I believe it is the same here. That is why they ask "would you hire this person again?" It is the only way to do it.

Great suggestion to use colleagues from the "touchy spot" as references!

[NoahsMommy]

I've had this issue countless time due to my illness and because I work in the medical field (it actually pertains to ANY field), most of my past employers wont hire me due to my illness.

I've started working with temp agencies, and they become your reference. Tell him to be honest and the temp agency will speak up for him. He can also be honest in his interview and tell them that he's leaving on 'not so great terms' that pertain to morals and honesty. He can tell them that his current principal is giving him a bad name because he (your hubby) is standing up to the dishonesty, etc. going on.

It is a really hard position to be in. My working with these temp agencies that either are in my field (medical temp agencies for 6 months or regular temp agencies off and on) have given me my credibilty back.

I wish you both lots of luck. You both truly deserve it.

Hugs, Kelly

[NoahsMommy]

He can also give direct names and phone numbers of any higher ups that he has a good relationship with, along with co-workers that can speak to what the current situation is....so if a call is put in to this jerk principal, the new employer will have all his/her info to make an educated decision.

I too, believe there is a perfect spot for him. Whereever that may be, they will be more than LUCKY to have him!

btw, in the U.S. (or maybe its a state-by-state thing, but I'm almost 100% certain its a country-wide law) employers can legally only ask a few, vague questions, such as:
'How long did he/she work for you?'
'Is he/she rehirable?'
'Did he/she have a problem with attendance?'
Vague, but will be able to give a picture.

They cannot ask: 'Can you tell me about this former employee?' or any questions that lead to personal information, such as 'Why is this employee leaving your company?', 'Where there any disciplinary problems with this employee?', 'Has this person been arrested? Did he/she steal from you?' etc, etc...

Some times, if your former employer is extremely rigid or overly conservative, wont even answer the "would you hire this person again?" question! When I left State Farm, my former boss, with whom I had a fabulous relationship with, told me that State Farm's position on those types of questions was that they could NOT answer them. All they could answer were, "Did he/she work for you?" and "How long did he/she work for you?" that's it! <---this kinda worked for me in the "attendance" area, even though my absences were approved and my management and co-workers were amazing with me.

By law and former employers are only allowed to answer in "yes", "no", or "not applicable" -type answers so as to avoid any lawsuits.

[Edwina's Secretary]

btw, in the U.S. (or maybe its a state-by-state thing, but I'm almost 100% certain its a country-wide law) employers can legally only ask a few, vague questions, such as:
'How long did he/she work for you?'
'Is he/she rehirable?'
'Did he/she have a problem with attendance?'
Vague, but will be able to give a picture.

They cannot ask: 'Can you tell me about this former employee?' or any questions that lead to personal information, such as 'Why is this employee leaving your company?', 'Where there any disciplinary problems with this employee?', 'Has this person been arrested? Did he/she steal from you?' etc, etc...

Some times, if your former employer is extremely rigid or overly conservative, wont even answer the "would you hire this person again?" question! When I left State Farm, my former boss, with whom I had a fabulous relationship with, told me that State Farm's position on those types of questions was that they could NOT answer them. All they could answer were, "Did he/she work for you?" and "How long did he/she work for you?" that's it! <---this kinda worked for me in the "attendance" area, even though my absences were approved and my management and co-workers were amazing with me.

By law and former employers are only allowed to answer in "yes", "no", or "not applicable" -type answers so as to avoid any lawsuits.

Sorry...but this is all wrong. An employer can ask anything they want. An employer can answer anything they want to answer.

Many employers have a policy that they will not give out any information except dates of employment and position held, but it is not the law. (I recommend my clients not to give out any other information.)

If fact, if an employer fails to disclose certain imformation to a prospective employer they can be held liable. (Such as if there was illegal activity, violence...that type of thing.)

[Catty1]

Kim - is there anything your hubby could do through temp agencies? There are many kinds...

Driving school bus? I don't know what it pays there, but might be worth a shot. Maybe fore a private school (they pay better).

And if this thing does blow wide open to the national headline stage, well, he won't be alone - and, ironically, might open the doors to more and different job opportunities.

I am glad the union got angry about SOMETHING - you indicated they haven't been all that helpful before.

{{{{hugs}}}}

[kuhio98]

Kim ~ I am so sorry about this. The stress on you and hubby must be horrible. If it all blows up -- and they make him an offer to just "go away" think about getting legal counsel. A lawyer could help make sure that a severence package includes a training/school stipend. If hubby is going to be starting a new career, they might as well help finance the schooling.

We have a family member who had a horrible time in the public school system. He is very femine and the faculty made his life miserable. He left the school system and is teaching at a private school. He loves it and they love him. If hubby still wants to teach, is that an option?

[jennielynn1970]

Dang. What is it with school districts in this area?? Bethlehem is going down the tubes as well. Our assistant to the superintendent quit in the middle of the school year and went to Kutztown (he is a sucky guy, so I'm glad he's gone, but still... it speaks volumes about our district to leave like that).

Why didn't the union rep know anything, or is he saying he didn't know anything?? Didn't the person from hubby's school report to the union person, or is that person trying to keep on the good side of the district?

I hate all the game playing that goes back and forth. I don't like the work situation I have at my school, but there's not much I can do about it, although I'm glad it's not so bad that there's legal issues. Gosh. I feel horrible for Grant.

The one principal I worked with really black balled the one teacher I had worked with. She was a 1/2 day kinderg. teacher, and wanted to be full time. The principal talked her into working in the standards office that had just been instituted back when NCLB was started. Well, this principal used her like her own personal gopher. It was horrible. Then when the teacher went to look for jobs in other districts, the principal talked so much crap about her, she couldn't get a job anywhere, and the principal was preventing her from getting any of the full time positions in other schools in our district. It wasn't until our principal retired, and about a year later, this teacher finally got a full time position in another school. It was horrible how she was abused and treated, but the union couldn't do anything either.

When administrators have power, and they don't want to take responsibility for what is going on, they will just pass it on to someone beneath them. It just sucks. Hopefully something will happen and Grant will get another job, and karma will bite this administrator in his butt.

[Lady's Human]

As much as we disagree, maybe you should PM Sara (Edwina's Secretary)?
IIRC, this is her ballpark.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I don't have any advise to give. I wanted to wish your husband luck in his job hunt. The others have said it and I too believe that he will find the perfect place.

[catnapper]

Thanks everyone.

Lisa, I agree with you.... if they dislike hubby so much, WHY keep him there? Why not just let him go? Why torture him?

Hubby spoke with several people today and it seems a big ol' can of worms is opening. He got confirmation from a union rep the school wants to fire him (though no reason why) and he'll at least make it to January before they can officially give him the ax. The union rep is FURIOUS that nobody filled him in on this situation. He said similar cases are being covered over elsewhere within the district.

In the meantime, the people he spoke with today DID say this could end up a major court case.... and that he'll be committing career suicide because no other school will want a whistle blower. At this point, he doesn't care. He's tired of taking the treatment he's gotten and is going to stand up do tell the truth.

Looks like we're going to go back to being financially stricken because he's not going to be working much longer. But as long as he does whats right, and feels good about it, we'll make it through.Sigh

Stay tuned.... if it turns out the way people have been talking to hubby today, this might actually make national headlines. Yes, its that serious.