OT: It's a bummer but

[RockyMTblue2]

I struggled this AM about whether to post on this and said look away. But, that is what too many employers do and then a tragedy like the Virginia TV deaths happens. That case is beyond understanding almost. From 2001 this creep IDed himself as a mental case bully AND how many employers said a polite good bye and lied to the next prospective employer doing a background check??? A AND tell the next guy/gal.nswer: every cowardly one of them. Spend a career in law including representing employers in discrimination suits - dozens. Almost every one involved dishonest evaluations. Here's a tip: if you feel not quite right about an employee in the first 90 days of their employment... terminate it.

 

[Uconnrick]

As an employer, I agree with you. However, I don't see how you can blame an ex-employer for failing to warn a prospective employer about an ex employee with all the potential for a libel suit. If I'm contacted about an ex-employee and have nothing good to say, all I'll do is provide confirmation that he/she was employed from to yyyy and leave the prospective employer to read into it what he will. If, for some strange reason, I was contacted about a good ex-employee I'll, at least answer questions honestly, but will not volunteer info. Even that is more than a couple of labor attorneys have advised me to do.

 

[Artifact]

When considering hiring a employee, one question you are allowed to answer legally. If asked , 'would you hire back the same employee' ? You can respond simply, 'Yes or No' ! Give no further explanation. You can prompt the questionnaire to ask this question. Beyond that, you can become subject to discrimination. United States has the most lawyers in the whole world, by a very great margin. They must be feed ! The law schools keep pumping them out. The supply & demand, is way out of balance.

 

[ChicagoGG]

In some states, you are not allowed ( by law) to say you would not rehire someone unless that person was let go due to committing a crime. Otherwise, you are exposed to liability. And now, in my state, you are prohibited from asking on the application form if someone has ever been convicted of a crime. You need to have a supplemental form to the background check that asks that question and gives the applicant a place to respond in detail to the question. (My employer drug tests and background checks, which is thankfully still legal..)

 

[BroadwayVa]

As an employer, I agree with you. However, I don't see how you can blame an ex-employer for failing to warn a prospective employer about an ex employee with all the potential for a libel suit. If I'm contacted about an ex-employee and have nothing good to say, all I'll do is provide confirmation that he/she was employed from to yyyy and leave the prospective employer to read into it what he will. If, for some strange reason, I was contacted about a good ex-employee I'll, at least answer questions honestly, but will not volunteer info. Even that is more than a couple of labor attorneys have advised me to do.

You are correct the EMPLOYER is not to blame. Mental illness at times grows and is hard to detect until a flare up. This guy struck out at the person who was doing the job he thought was rightly his, albeit he had been fired (so reported) multiple times. Sad for the deaths but sadder that our society has for centuries hid mental illness and treatments. I go to Roanoke often, nice town, nice people. The litigious times we live in makes it being on a slippery slope to say anything good or bad about employees. That's why people are moved along from job to job'===we've seen shoot first cops moved along for the same reasons.

 

[UcMiami]

Yes, it is a legal minefield, the asking and giving of references. Most former employers have now restricted themselves to confirmation of employment dates and positions held.

The Baylor football situation is actually quite similar in terms of the 'he said/he said' regarding the Baylor coach and the player's former coach.