When to tell a prospective new employer about a final written warning?

Hootie19

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3239642

^^ That was my husband's disaster a few months ago.

He has a telephone interview this afternoon with a local authority for their data centre (arranged at very short notice as their engineer just upped sticks and walked out, apparently). At what point should he tell them that he has a FWW on his record (which will be with him for 18 months)? As soon as he gets on the phone with them? At some point during the interview? Wait and see if he's offered a face-to-face interview?

He's all for honesty being the best policy, but just not sure when to bring the subject up.

Zelazny

Given that they are presumably separate companies, does he have to tell the new prospective employer at all?

I probably would, but I'd do it in the interview, when they ask why I want to leave where I am now - then he can explain what happened in his own words, rather than just potentially scaring them off.

SarEl

Local authorities almost always ask for disciplinary warnings in references. I would therefore advise discussing it with them if offered the job. If they have offered the jon having already read the references (some don't take up references until a job is offered) then they already know and it didn't matter; if they haven't then that is the time to warn them of what it might say because they are less likley to hear your side of the story if they find out from the references and you haven't told them.

Mistral001

I assume that the company that your husband is applying to will send out a reference form to his present company with a question about any written disciplinary warnings. They will then have to disclose that. However, if that is not the case then, they just might not disclose it at all in a reference, especially if the company is perhaps looking to downsize a little as many companies are doing these days.

dandelionclock30

It will also depend on the reference policy of your husbands current employer.Some companies like my ex employer will not disclose anything about discliplinarys or sickness records even when specifically asked. I would ask the current employer what the score is. I've only once been asked in an interview about if I've ever been dismissed.I've never been asked about warnings etc.

Occams_Razor_2

he doesn't have to tell them, but his old employer is entitled to mention it if asked for a reference. they don't have to, but are legally allowed.

no reason for him to say anything.

Uncertain

Do you know what the current firm's policy is on references?

Some companies (and it is becoming increasingly common) will only as a matter of policy confirm dates of employment and say no more.

If that is the case then there is a temptation not to mention it at all. However if it is likely they will give details of it in a reference then I agree it may be better to get in first.

Hootie19

Thank you all. We thought it would be bound to be mentioned in any reference that his present employer provided, which is why he was going to be upfront about it. But from the responses here, it seems that may not be the case. He's not asked about the present company's reference policy, but as it turns out, it may not be a problem, as the telephone interview was ridiculous.

The person who "interviewed" him could give him practically no information about the role, and when he asked them if using Citrix was part of the job, she was unable to answer. If it is, then he won't be going any further, as he doesn't use that system. (I work for this local authority in another location to the data centre, and he's listened to me moan for England about the instabiity of our Citrix based IT system, so he knows what Citrix is involved somewhere within the IT section!)

Thank you all for taking the time to offer advice.