job acceptance protocol

[Vic Vega]

Why are you guys subject to a credit check for a job? This makes no sense to me. Do they also inspect your house to ensure there's nothing untoward there? If not, they will soon by the sound of it.

You certainly don't have to allow them to do any sort of checks on you, this is after all private employment between two private parties (assuming non gub'ment job). Everything is negotiable.

I personally have never taken a drug test as part of a hiring process. I've been with my current employer about a year. I've only once had a credit check and that was probably five years ago with my previous employer.

 

[Cattlegod]

you made the right choice.

 

[classy]

Why are you guys subject to a credit check for a job? This makes no sense to me. Do they also inspect your house to ensure there's nothing untoward there? If not, they will soon by the sound of it.

Credit checks today are done because of theft and fraud. A person with good credit probably does not have personal financial issues, so common thinking is they are less likely to steal.

 

[Bignate603]

Credit checks today are done because of theft and fraud. A person with good credit probably does not have personal financial issues, so common thinking is they are less likely to steal.

Also, its a sign of making wise decisions with money. If you can't make manage your own money why would they want to trust you with theirs?

 

[SuperjetMatt]

Why are you guys subject to a credit check for a job? This makes no sense to me. Do they also inspect your house to ensure there's nothing untoward there? If not, they will soon by the sound of it.

Because this is the land of the free and if you don't have anything to hide, you won't have a problem.

Oh, and Obama.

 

[AreaCode707]

Situation that I went through several years ago that another friend of mine went through. I thought I would ask the crew here for opinions...

Situation: I was working at job A for several years and was secretly job hunting on the side. I found a nice job and was accepted after several rounds of interviews (job B). During the last interview, job B gave me a start date. I was set to give job A my 2 week notice when job B calls me up and requests from my some documentation that they will need to give to their HR dept in preparation for my start.

At this time I was notified that I would need to pass a criminal background check, credit check and drug test. I asked job B why wasn't this mentioned to me at our last interview? I was seconds away from giving my two week notice to job A and I get notified that I still need to fulfill requirements in order for job B to hire me. So I notified job B that I would need to have a concrete job offer on the table or else I cannot give my 2 weeks notice to job A. I said that I would cooperate and provide all documents necessary and do a drug test to get the concrete job offer from them.

Job B was pissed and asked me to start anyway while we get the tests underway but I ended up withdrawing my acceptance. I could not quit job A to work at job B where I was still having to jump through hoops to get hired.

This came up recently with a friend of mine. She was accepted for job at a hospital and was psyched to start. She gave her 2 weeks notice to job A, and took a drug test for job B. She doesn't use any kind of drugs so she had nothing to fear. Turns out she was rejected from job B due to a drug test showing too many "nitrates". Some doctors she asked about these results said that nitrates could have resulted from OTC cough medicine. Now she doesn't have either job A or B and is looking for work.

Opinions?

You do know that your employment being contingent on drug test and criminal background is not an "at point of hire" thing, right? They could opt to rerun those tests at any point and fire you. So there's basically no difference in your job security at point of acceptance and post-hire.

 

[NetWareHead]

You do know that your employment being contingent on drug test and criminal background is not an "at point of hire" thing, right? They could opt to rerun those tests at any point and fire you. So there's basically no difference in your job security at point of acceptance and post-hire.

Yes you are right. At the same time, it still is prudent to get a concrete job offer in hand before quitting an old and starting a new one.

 

[Vette73]

You do know that your employment being contingent on drug test and criminal background is not an "at point of hire" thing, right? They could opt to rerun those tests at any point and fire you. So there's basically no difference in your job security at point of acceptance and post-hire.

True; but most companies will either give a 2nd test or try to get something worked out if you are a trained employee that does at least average+ job.

But someone that has been there 1 week or less they would cut loose right there even if the test was bad.

I do HR and we do not start someone till their medical clearance, security clearance, etc... is 100%

 

[OBLAMA2009]

One its pretty much standard protocol to expect to do a drug test and pass a criminal and credit check today. Its pretty much assinine to even question a company why they didn't mention those things. I have been working almost 20 years now and have passed everything from fbi background checks to credit, criminal, and drug screens. I worked at a hospital for several years as well. I have never heard of anyone ever failing a drug test for cold medicine. Sorry sounds like bs to me. Standard protocol is to recieve job offer, take the drug test, let background and credit checks come through (usually just hours for credit results), recieve official offer letter, then give two weeks notice.

this. you cant get any type of decent job without drug, criminal and credit checks, how come you didnt know that?????

 

[NetWareHead]

this. you cant get any type of decent job without drug, criminal and credit checks, how come you didnt know that?????

The burden is on the new company to inform me that I need a drug test, credit check etc...etc...etc... Otherwise I'm assuming that they don't require it and that the offer to start is valid.

 

[rasczak]

Yes you are right. At the same time, it still is prudent to get a concrete job offer in hand before quitting an old and starting a new one.

could you guys expand on the concrete job offer? my wife is kinda in this situation, she received an offer letter explaining rate of pay, and benefits. she signed and returned it. she has a start date of feb 21. is this pretty much a solid job offer? i would hate for her to put a 2 weeks in if that is not the case. also, she has already had the credit check and criminal background check done.

 

[NetWareHead]

could you guys expand on the concrete job offer? my wife is kinda in this situation, she received an offer letter explaining rate of pay, and benefits. she signed and returned it. she has a start date of feb 21. is this pretty much a solid job offer? i would hate for her to put a 2 weeks in if that is not the case.

I would just ask if there any further requirements that need to be met such as drug tests etc... If not then give the 2 weeks.

 

[Saint Nick]

The US is built on a solid foundation of lies and hypocrisy.

I will be in this situation, as well. And will get drug test and check my criminal history. I don't really approve of either because it is a clear invasion of privacy...oh the glories of living in the US. I plan on working both jobs (they are internships) for a bit, then will quit the one I am at now. Eventually I'd like to be self-employed.

And btw, I know plenty about the drug testing industry in the US. She would have been tested again, or a more precise test would have been administered. If I was her, I'd raise hell.

 

[Modular]

Standard protocol is to recieve job offer, take the drug test, let background and credit checks come through (usually just hours for credit results), recieve official offer letter, then give two weeks notice.

Exactly, but the OP wasn't being asked to follow standard protocol. They were being bullied into leaving a job that they currently had to start another job that they weren't guaranteed.

Situations like that make absolutely no sense to me. This isn't 1999 where anyone could get a job doing anything. Employers need to be aware that even though they can be pickier than usual, they can't ask someone to risk their future on an "offer".

OP, you did the right thing. Think about it from this perspective: if the company isn't wise enough to understand how this could negatively impact you (ie: they don't understand basic common sense) then imagine what it would be like to work for them day in and day out! You don't get a report in on time because the servers had crashed for 4 hours that day and your boss will still be breathing down your neck, making you stay till 10:00PM to get them done, etc.

 

[Texashiker]

This ->

Don't give job A a two-week notice.

Will job A give you a 2 week notice before they lay you off or fire you?

Is a credit check part of your job description? No employer gets my social security number until I'am hired. Background check and drug check yes, but credit check? No.