Job offer contingent on background checks?? 3 July at 8:19PM edited 3 July at 8:20PM in Employment, Jobseeking & Training 39 replies 951 views

Lil306

Lurker1 said:

Marcon said:

Lil306 said:

Until they've offered you a job, consider yourself expendable regardless. I'd let them do their checks first then hand in your notice. End of the day even if your employer knows as long as their happy you get the job, and if they ask your employer then it could raise questions anyway. 

BTW - The employer can't fire you just because you're looking for another job. Legally they would be in a world of trouble if taken to court because of them firing you for that reason. Although they'd probably try to get you for something else

Even when you've been offered the job, remember that you are completely expendable regardless. Nobody has job security these days, although there's a bit more certainty once you've worked for an employer for at least two years.

As for firing you because you're looking for another job - if you've been there under two years, they can generally fire you for any or no reason, provided it is not unlawful (e.g. unlawful discrimination). Even if you've been there for at least two years, they can still fire you for that reason, but they'd simply dress it up as something else. Covid-19, for example.

I did not know about that. I thought once probation period ends then you are safe. I did not know it was two years! I will need to try and read up more about this.

It's due to employment rights or something. It's why most companies hire temps. They just say they don't want them anymore, they don't have to really give a reason. There's no protection. 

When you've been doing a job for 2 years, you're considered a full time employee or something. Or have the same rights as one, which means if your employer unfairly dismisses you they can be taken to court over it. 

As noted above however, if an employer wants to get rid of you, they will find a way. They will just polish it up as another reason. COVID is going to be the "get out clause" for a lot of employers. Anyone they don't like it's just going to be a case of, it's no longer financially viable. They will have to follow the correct process however to make it official with people to prevent themselves being taken to court over it

Lurker1

keepcalmandstayoutofdebt said:

It all does depend on who you currently work for and their views.
Some bosses would rather you say (as much as it's pretty alien to me) at the point of applying to another job.
I've known people to avoid back ground checks (low level insurance call centre) until they have started and then ran with the risk of dismissal for not completing. But they were unemployed before commencing.
Back ground checking really isn't so shady.
Yes they might immediately recruit a replacement but that's not guaranteed to work out how they hope.

I just feel the relationship will be strained with me mentioning to my manager and I feel the atmosphere will be unpleasant especially with people knowing I may be jumping the ship. Also, if I mention it but not hand in my notice then my manager might be annoyed at that as they would not be sure if they need a replacement or not.

sharpe106

At some point you are going to have to tell them. You could always ask the new company to inform you before they send a request to your employer to give you time to inform them.

Lurker1

sharpe106 said:

At some point you are going to have to tell them. You could always ask the new company to inform you before they send a request to your employer to give you time to inform them.

They have asked me but I said I was not comfortable with it, so my check is currently put on hold. Though they did mention this will delay my process.

LittleVoice

Lurker1 said:

sharpe106 said:

At some point you are going to have to tell them. You could always ask the new company to inform you before they send a request to your employer to give you time to inform them.

They have asked me but I said I was not comfortable with it, so my check is currently put on hold. Though they did mention this will delay my process.

It won't be "on hold" for ever.  Unless you give them permission to contact your current employer very soon (and take the opportunity to advise whoever in your current employer would receive the reference request), then it won't be a delay, it will be a withdrawal of the offer.

Is this the first time you have resigned from a job?  It sounds as though it might be.

LittleVoice

To add:  Companies have staff resigning quite often (unless they are tiny with exceptionally good rapport with their staff).  They will be used to receiving reference requests and having some uncertainty until a formal resignation letter arrives (or doesn't) and you'd have to live with the general potentially "unpleasant" situation for however long your notice period is in any case - you can't just decide to walk out without working during your notice period.

MarkN88

All my jobs have been subject to satisfactory references, so they have all needed to be completed before a unconditional offer was on the table. 

How are you expecting to move on if they can’t get the reference? 

AW618

When people say to be sure you have passed background checks, I presume they are speaking of criminal type checks.  As the poster above says, you need to have handed in your resignation to your current employer before the reference request arrives on their desk.  If anything does go wrong, then yes, you could be left without a job, but then if you think the reference from your current company is going to be so bad that they withdraw their offer then you won't be staying long at your current company in any case.

LittleVoice

AW618 said:

When people say to be sure you have passed background checks, I presume they are speaking of criminal type checks.  As the poster above says, you need to have handed in your resignation to your current employer before the reference request arrives on their desk.  If anything does go wrong, then yes, you could be left without a job, but then if you think the reference from your current company is going to be so bad that they withdraw their offer then you won't be staying long at your current company in any case.

That is not true.  But it is polite to have forewarned a referee that a reference request is on its way.  You don't even have to say you have been offered a job (as some potential employers like to collect references from previous employers even before interviewing a candidate).

AW618

Not true in what way?  Once it arrives, they will know.  So you ought to tell them before it arrives, or they will not be happy.  What gain do you think there is in not doing so?

No doubt there are a tiny number of companies who try and get references before interview; they will be vanishingly small as anyone with any sense will not give them permission to do so.  I have never encoutered it personally.