Always happy to see best buy go down

[Ns1]

"If you can't say somethin' nice, don't say nothin' at all," a cartoon character once said.

He might have added: Especially in an email.

Stung by a scathing job reference, a South Jersey man filed a federal law suit last week claiming that Best Buy, his former employer, blackballed him.

Michael Oliveri, 47, said it was impossible to find a new job after he was fired in Aug. 2006 from Best Buy, the electronics megamart.

In his suit, Oliveri said he became suspicious after job offers at Circuit City and Target were abruptly terminated.

So Oliveri, of Columbus, Burlington County, hatched a plan.

He created an email account using the name of a Target employee. Then Oliveri sent a note to his former company asking for a "candidate reference."

According to Oliveri's lawsuit, the district human resources manager, Ann McCafferty, allegedly responded:

"I will give you the skinny on him but you can't say you got any info from best Buy or we can be sued. Just don't hire him and say you went with a better candidate.

"He was hired as GM and demoted after 12 months or so because he sucked. He is desperate for a job because supposedly his wife left him because he has no job. I would not touch him.

"Again, do not forward this email to anybody or say where you heard the info from because we were not allowed to give this info out, but I would hate you to get stuck with this guy!"

Needless to say, Oliveri did not get the job.

New Jersey law prohibits interference with a prospective employment relationship. Oliveri is seeking a minimum of $100,000 in damages, said his attorney, Katherine D. Hartman of Moorestown.

McCafferty was subsequently promoted and now works at Best Buy corporate headquarters in Minnesota.

The companies legal team is reviewing the case, a spokeswoman said.

"There's not a lot we can say other than we're investigating it," said company spokeswoman Dawn Bryant.

Oliveri was hired in 2004 as general manager of the Best Buy's Wilmington store and later worked at the Plymouth Meeting branch.

The suit was filed Jan. 22 in U.S. District Court in Camden.

http://www.philly.com/philly/h...st_Buy_over_email.html

 

[phoenix79]

But did he actually suck?

 

[GasX]

I find it hard to believe that any sort of HR professional would be that stupid.

 

[oogabooga]

He created an email account using the name of a Target employee. Then Oliveri sent a note to his former company asking for a "candidate reference."

targetemployee@yahoo.com ? Seriously though I wonder if he kinda deserved it and the HR person was trying to help some other company dodge a bullet....

Outa curiousity : Can HR people say positive things about people? I was told they shouldn't give out anything other than facts ie "He worked for us from x date to x date" but they can't say anything negative or risk getting sued. Conversely they can't say something like "he was a great guy we'll miss him" or anything positive since if they do and sometimes don't it might be construed as a 'backhanded' negative.

 

[SacrosanctFiend]

Originally posted by: phoenix79
But did he actually suck?

Doesn't matter. Sending an e-mail like that is a BIG no-no.

 

[SacrosanctFiend]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I find it hard to believe that any sort of HR professional would be that stupid.

You would be surprised.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: oogabooga

He created an email account using the name of a Target employee. Then Oliveri sent a note to his former company asking for a "candidate reference."

targetemployee@yahoo.com ? Seriously though I wonder if he kinda deserved it and the HR person was trying to help some other company dodge a bullet....

Outa curiousity : Can HR people say positive things about people? I was told they shouldn't give out anything other than facts ie "He worked for us from x date to x date" but they can't say anything negative or risk getting sued. Conversely they can't say something like "he was a great guy we'll miss him" or anything positive since if they do and sometimes don't it might be construed as a 'backhanded' negative.

It depends on company policy I believe. We are allowed to give relatively honest appraisals if someone calls, but my friend works at a bank and is only allowed to give out the information as you posted (i.e. just facts, no opinion).

KT

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I find it hard to believe that any sort of HR professional would be that stupid.

you have never met a "HR professional" have you

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I find it hard to believe that any sort of HR professional would be that stupid.

they work at best buy....

/blank stare

 

[phoenix79]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: phoenix79
But did he actually suck?

Doesn't matter. Sending an e-mail like that is a BIG no-no.

In all honesty I don't really care. This guy is only seeking $100,000? He must have the stupidest lawyer on the planet. Either way I only go to Best Buy to see whatever it is I'm looking for in person before I buy it online for 3/4 the price.

 

[SacrosanctFiend]

Originally posted by: oogabooga

He created an email account using the name of a Target employee. Then Oliveri sent a note to his former company asking for a "candidate reference."

targetemployee@yahoo.com ? Seriously though I wonder if he kinda deserved it and the HR person was trying to help some other company dodge a bullet....

Outa curiousity : Can HR people say positive things about people? I was told they shouldn't give out anything other than facts ie "He worked for us from x date to x date" but they can't say anything negative or risk getting sued. Conversely they can't say something like "he was a great guy we'll miss him" or anything positive since if they do and sometimes don't it might be construed as a 'backhanded' negative.

We can say or ask pretty much anything as long as we word it in the appropriate way.

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I find it hard to believe that any sort of HR professional would be that stupid.

you have never met a "HR professional" have you

Many - I am no fan of HR people, but they tend towards risk averse.

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I find it hard to believe that any sort of HR professional would be that stupid.

you have never met a "HR professional" have you

Wow, you've discovered another oxymoron!

 

[SacrosanctFiend]

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I find it hard to believe that any sort of HR professional would be that stupid.

you have never met a "HR professional" have you

Many - I am no fan of HR people, but they tend towards risk averse.

Pretty idiotic to generalize about the whole of HR. We save corporations tons of money, help people get jobs, mediate workplace conflicts, do your payroll, etc. And at the end of the day, we are regular people.

Edit: Seems the HR bashing has already begun...

 

[NuclearNed]

If your ex-employee really sucks, why wouldn't you want your competition to hire him???

If I worked at Best Buy, I would direct all the incompetent idiots I knew towards the Circuit City employment office.

 

[xochi]

Michael Oliveri is not eligible for re-hire would be the standard HR response.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I find it hard to believe that any sort of HR professional would be that stupid.

you have never met a "HR professional" have you

Many - I am no fan of HR people, but they tend towards risk averse.

Pretty idiotic to generalize about the whole of HR. We save corporations tons of money, help people get jobs, mediate workplace conflicts, do your payroll, etc. And at the end of the day, we are regular people.

Edit: Seems the HR bashing has already begun...

Not from me, I think my HR department (a few individuals in particaulr) do a fantastic job and I often tell them so.

They have made my life a lot easier on many occasions.

KT

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

And this is why when people want to give info on a former employee they call on the telephone (preferably using cell phones away from the office).

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I find it hard to believe that any sort of HR professional would be that stupid.

you have never met a "HR professional" have you

Many - I am no fan of HR people, but they tend towards risk averse.

Pretty idiotic to generalize about the whole of HR. We save corporations tons of money, help people get jobs, mediate workplace conflicts, do your payroll, etc. And at the end of the day, we are regular people.

Edit: Seems the HR bashing has already begun...

just the bashing of HR that work at retail. 9/10 it's their first HR McJob if you will....

 

[MaxDepth]

It sounds like a Michael Scott / Jan Levinson kinda thing going on.

 

[EGGO]

Catbert?

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I find it hard to believe that any sort of HR professional would be that stupid.

you have never met a "HR professional" have you

Many - I am no fan of HR people, but they tend towards risk averse.

Pretty idiotic to generalize about the whole of HR. We save corporations tons of money, help people get jobs, mediate workplace conflicts, do your payroll, etc. And at the end of the day, we are regular people.

Edit: Seems the HR bashing has already begun...

im not 100% serious, the HR people at my job are fine, slow but fine, they never seem to want to do anything quickly but other then that that are fine

retail HR tho... ive worked retail, ugh is all i have to say


the only people that bother me are the fucking 5S people, god i want to kill them

 

[Ika]

Stung by a scathing job reference, a South Jersey man filed a federal law suit last week claiming that Best Buy, his former employer, blackballed him.

I don't know if I've ever heard this term used.

 

[Snakexor]

I work at a NJ BBY and I know Anne McCafferty. She works for Best Buy International (China mostly). That is friggin crazy.....i guess it will be the topic of discussion on Wednesday.....

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: SacrosanctFiend

Originally posted by: Mwilding

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: Mwilding
I find it hard to believe that any sort of HR professional would be that stupid.

you have never met a "HR professional" have you

Many - I am no fan of HR people, but they tend towards risk averse.

Pretty idiotic to generalize about the whole of HR. We save corporations tons of money, help people get jobs, mediate workplace conflicts, do your payroll, etc. And at the end of the day, we are regular people.

Edit: Seems the HR bashing has already begun...

I was in no way bashing HR. My first comment was quite the opposite and my second was based on personal experience with particular people.