Girlfriend may have gotten screwed out of a job. UPDATED

[PingSpike]

The first step is to call HR and clarify whether she actually even needs a license. The next step is to go down and get a driver's license. I'm sure you've seen the other people on the road, you don't even need to know how to drive to get one.

I'm not sure why she proceeded directly to hysterical panic. That isn't a great problem solving strategy.

 

[SagaLore]

We live in a major metropolitan area, and she does not have a car, nor does she have her license. She specifically asked the woman on the phone if either of those issues were a problem, and the woman said a car/license was not required for this position.

... They handed her, and all the other new hires, an offer letter which specifically states that employees need to have a license, and asks for her license number. She didn't confront them about it yet,... I also read the offer letter that was sent via email, there is NO mention of needing a license or car in it, anywhere.

edit: This was NOT for identification purposes, they stated that a requirement for the job was having a valid drivers license ..

Well if this is a matter of employment, and they're asking for this, why is she dragging her feet on letting them know she doesn't have a license? Its not like she can do anything about it except to tell them she doesn't have one.

If she's going to be taking care of kids with autism, she really needs to show some more maturity here. Telling them she didn't meet that "requirement" should have been an instant escalation to them. Instead she waits to tell you, and you ask the Internet... how is this supposed to play out? She goes back to them with a printout of an Internet thread about how they "bait and switched" her?

FYI, if there is no driving involved, then asking her for a driver's license may just be a matter of filling out HR paperwork. Its not that she needs to drive, its that she needs to give them a form of photo id. Regardless of what happens with this job, and regardless if she ever drives in the city, she needs to get her driver's license to avoid this hassle. Suggest she have her social security card and a student id handy as an alternative to the driver's license and they will likely accept that, if the job does in fact NOT require having a car.

 

[SagaLore]

I thought women screwed to get a job?

No that is just for promotions. :hmm:

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

nevermind.

 

[BagOfWalnuts]

This is why I prefer to do everything over email when asking for something important such as job requirements. At least you'd have recourse in court by getting it in writing.

Now the best thing to do is to clarify. If they still insist on the license part and she absolutely cannot get a car/license, then get a lawyer. However, first I would email that lady back and get it in writing that no license is required. It may just be a simple misunderstanding.

Definitely concur here. She has an offer letter that was emailed to her 3 weeks ago that makes no mention of a DL. So I'm hoping that this was just a mistake on their part. It makes no sense that they would draft up an offer letter and purposely omit the one thing my gf was asking for clarification on. There must be a position that doesn't require a DL, since she was offered that via phone,and has the letter from her email.

Not if you actually need to drive, unless you are reccomending driving without a DL?

A employee with a DL is more valuble to the company than one without, say a parts driver or delivery driver calls in sick, if you have a DL you can cover for him. Your boss really needs somehting picked up ASAP and cant wait for courier, if you have a DL you can go get it, if not you are screwed. there are plenty of situations where having a DL can come in very handy.

If you are an employer you are going to give more priority to hiring people with DL's if your company has departments that require driving, even if the posistion you are being hired for is not a depertment that needs a DL you will still give priority to DL holding candidates because of the flexability it will offer.

I have been a warehouse manager in the past and we rarely did our own deliveries but did have a company van to use in the few instances when we needed it(maybe 2-3 times a month) and 90% of the time i would drive it myself just to get out of the place for a while. But i still only hired employees with a DL just so i had the option of sending them for supplies or deliveries if i had to. That and people who go out and get DL's tend to be more responsable that people that do not IMO.

That's what I don't like about this situation, she covered her bases with the woman 3 weeks ago who said that a car & DL were not requirements for the job. I'd be less sympathetic if she had never asked and found out on the first day.

 

[bignateyk]

Girlfriend may have gotten screwed

Go on...

 

[GTSRguy]

Do you know for sure that they require a DL? Or are you just assuming they require one because they asked for it?

 

[BagOfWalnuts]

Do you know for sure that they require a DL? Or are you just assuming they require one because they asked for it?

She read me the letter and it states something along the lines of "For the duration of your employment you are expected to have a valid and active driver's license" and then asked for her DL #.

 

[AMDZen]

How old is your gf? Who doesn't have a drivers license but has a masters degree in "education". Priorities right there.

35k eh? I guess its true what they say about teachers.

 

[AMDZen]

She read me the letter and it states something along the lines of "For the duration of your employment you are expected to have a valid and active driver's license" and then asked for her DL #.

So bottom line, just have her go get one. 2 hrs is all it will take, then done. WTF is the problem here?

 

[edro]

Your gf is an illegal alien, isn't she?

 

[DrPizza]

REgular master's of ed. She's actually going back for the masters in special ed since that's where a lot of her experience is and she loves working with the kids.

Regular master's of education is absolutely useless for getting a job. It's good for getting your permanent certificate though, and reasonable enough to pursue if you already have a teaching job. But, it does nothing to distinguish you from all the other people with degrees; unless you have an undergrad degree in a more solid subject. In this market, getting a job in special ed pretty much requires a degree in special ed - at least up here it does; I'm not too sure about some of the more southern states that about a decade ago would hire a math teacher if "yeah, I took a math class at college."

 

[DrPizza]

- clarify with the person you spoke with first
- not sure why a company would ask for the ID# on the license specifically if it wasn't just for ID purposes.
- teachers here with a masters get 6 figures... kinda crazy, but so are our school taxes. Suburbs vs. cities.

Your location says "Long Island" - for your information, teachers in NY are required to have or get master's degree. The only ones who wouldn't have a master's degree are new hires (they have 5 years to get one) else older teachers who were grandfathered in. There's not some giant bonus for getting a master's degree, so any teachers hitting 6 figures are near the end of their teaching careers.

 

[SP33Demon]

How old is your gf? Who doesn't have a drivers license but has a masters degree in "education". Priorities right there.

35k eh? I guess its true what they say about teachers.

If she lives in the city, she wouldn't need one. I know two women with a master's in education who don't drive but live in the city and walk/mass transit to work.

 

[AMDZen]

If she lives in the city, she wouldn't need one. I know two women with a master's in education who don't drive but live in the city and walk/mass transit to work.

Perfectly understandable, but now she needs one. So ....... just go get one.

It would take a weekend for the OP to teach her how to drive, or less - and then 2 hours on a busy day to get the test done and license received.

Of course, if the OP also doesn't drive. LOL. I have to know where this couple lives and how old they are. I just find this hilarious.

I never drive these days and take public transportation myself. But like every 16 yo kid I wanted a license right away, even if I didn't have a car. There is just no excuse IMO - it has to be because she is afraid of cars or something.

 

[BagOfWalnuts]

If she lives in the city, she wouldn't need one. I know two women with a master's in education who don't drive but live in the city and walk/mass transit to work.

That's pretty much the situation. I know several people that live around here that don't have their licenses, they just never had a need. Many of them earn in the 6 figures. Me personally, I can't imagine living without a car & license.

 

[AMDZen]

That's pretty much the situation. I know several people that live around here that don't have their licenses, they just never had a need. Many of them earn in the 6 figures. Me personally, I can't imagine living without a car & license.

Not sure how she can be so highly educated and not be able to figure this out but .... lets break it down for you one more time then.

A) Teach her to Drive
B) Get her drivers license.
C) Profit!!

 

[DrPizza]

I don't know about other states, but in NY, you're not going to just get a driver's license in a week. I think you need a certain number of hours driving before you can sign up to take a driver's test - and once you sign up, you might be waiting a month or more for a scheduled appointment. As a teacher, I see that a LOT of students get their permits on their 16th birthday. I can't recall any of them ever getting to take their driver's exam within 6 months - there's a 5 hour course you have to schedule after you get your permit - some stupid movie "blood on the road" or something like that. Expect to wait weeks for an opening. My own son drove better than my wife on day one of having his permit - both of my kids operated a tractor, 4-wheelers, dirt bikes, and often used our vehicle to tow a trailer around our property - able to back the trailer up into a parking spot on the first try, etc. - they could parallel park on day one. Yet, it was at least 6 months before either of my kids could get their license.

 

[MtnMan]

She could do a little studying and a little driving and have the license in a week.

That's a scary thought..........

 

[BagOfWalnuts]

I don't know about other states, but in NY, you're not going to just get a driver's license in a week. I think you need a certain number of hours driving before you can sign up to take a driver's test - and once you sign up, you might be waiting a month or more for a scheduled appointment. As a teacher, I see that a LOT of students get their permits on their 16th birthday. I can't recall any of them ever getting to take their driver's exam within 6 months - there's a 5 hour course you have to schedule after you get your permit - some stupid movie "blood on the road" or something like that. Expect to wait weeks for an opening. My own son drove better than my wife on day one of having his permit - both of my kids operated a tractor, 4-wheelers, dirt bikes, and often used our vehicle to tow a trailer around our property - able to back the trailer up into a parking spot on the first try, etc. - they could parallel park on day one. Yet, it was at least 6 months before either of my kids could get their license.

That's pretty much how it is here as well, she's had the permit for a while and been driving with me, but who knows when she'll be able to schedule the exam.

 

[AMDZen]

That's pretty much how it is here as well, she's had the permit for a while and been driving with me, but who knows when she'll be able to schedule the exam.

Wow! Because you haven't even bothered to figure that part out yet.

Sorry but here, the "exam" is 2 pages of multiple choice. It takes 10-15 minutes to complete and the driving part of the exam takes 10-15 minutes as well.

Perhaps you should actually look into it assuming you even need to schedule the exam where you live. I remember when I did it, I just went early and tried to beat the rush - still had to wait an hour but whats the big deal?

Sounds to me like you aren't even bothering to get this remedied.

 

[Kev]

just get a license, it's not exactly rocket surgery

 

[Lifted]

I don't know about other states, but in NY, you're not going to just get a driver's license in a week. I think you need a certain number of hours driving before you can sign up to take a driver's test - and once you sign up, you might be waiting a month or more for a scheduled appointment. As a teacher, I see that a LOT of students get their permits on their 16th birthday. I can't recall any of them ever getting to take their driver's exam within 6 months - there's a 5 hour course you have to schedule after you get your permit - some stupid movie "blood on the road" or something like that. Expect to wait weeks for an opening. My own son drove better than my wife on day one of having his permit - both of my kids operated a tractor, 4-wheelers, dirt bikes, and often used our vehicle to tow a trailer around our property - able to back the trailer up into a parking spot on the first try, etc. - they could parallel park on day one. Yet, it was at least 6 months before either of my kids could get their license.

I'm pretty sure the classes and hours behind the wheel are only a requirement if you want to get a license at 17. If you are 18 or older you can just schedule the written and driving exams. At least this is the way it was many moons ago when I went through it all.

 

[BagOfWalnuts]

Update: She spoke with the place, and the license is only for people that are traveling out into the suburbs or further away. They also try to place people working with students in their own neighborhoods, which is nice. So crisis averted. She's still going to get her license asap though so we can avoid this in the future.

 

[AreaCode707]

Update: She spoke with the place, and the license is only for people that are traveling out into the suburbs or further away. They also try to place people working with students in their own neighborhoods, which is nice. So crisis averted. She's still going to get her license asap though so we can avoid this in the future.

Yep, a standard part of their offer letter. Tell your gf that when she does her upfront due diligence like she did here by asking in the interview process whether a license is needed, don't automatically assume the company is going to screw her over until she has talked to them.

Glad this worked out. All the best to her in her new job.