How Much Does Being Ineligible for Rehire Matter?

10 Comments

1. AnonymousSeptember 9,2025 at 2:29PM UTC

   I was marked ineligible at my last job but I was still employed there when I got my new one so I don't think they checked. Sorry I can't be more help.

2. AnonymousSeptember 10,2025 at 7:11AM UTC

   Oh good point do not allow them to contact your current employer. Some naive folks actually give permission. Sigh.

3. AnonymousSeptember 9,2025 at 2:55PM UTC

   This kind of situation really sucks and makes it feel like employers have all the power. You can literally leave on good terms and then they get mad at something you messed up on 6 months later and depending on the size of the company they can just say whatever. At least that's what happened to me.

4. BarbaraSeptember 10,2025 at 7:09AM UTC

   I know. It’s the wild wild west out there. Horrendous!

5. AnonymousSeptember 10,2025 at 7:08AM UTC

   You know back in the olden days prospective employers were not allowed to ask that considering how devastating it would be. They also didn’t do drug or background checks.if a former employee got wind of being negatively portrayed by a former employer there were consequences! Now you’ll never know or be able to explain yourself. Nasty. The way I would handle it now is wait until I am at the place where references are being checked and open up about your concerns without sounding like a victim. Just state the facts of what may be reported about you.

6. AnonymousSeptember 10,2025 at 9:05AM UTC

   I had this happen. They were mad that I quit. It should not be legal but it is.

7. AnonymousSeptember 10,2025 at 9:54AM UTC

   Take comfort that often they don't ask or look into it. If you are pretty sure they will, it may be best to address the elephant in the room. If it's company policy to never rehire a former employee, simply be sure the prospective employer knows that. It can also help if a former co-worker from that or any former employer will write a glowing letter of recommendation. Be sure to bring up any awards, promotions, or accolades from previous jobs. Also take comfort in the fact that crappy workplaces have high turnover; a few months from now, no one there may have even met you, so they won't have much to say.

8. AnonymousSeptember 10,2025 at 1:41PM UTC

   I would have some excellent references lined up. This comes up mostly in background/reference checks and it will depend on if and how the company hiring you does them. Especially for the place where it is (ridiculous IMHO) "company policy" to say that for layoffs, I would make the people hiring you aware of this policy when they say they are doing reference checks.

   If they do the "talk to someone about your work" kind of references, then have some people who will say great things about you available to do that. If all they do is background-style checks to call HR to confirm your employment dates and whether you are eligible for rehire, they might still come back to you and ask about it if they want to hire you. And if they won't hire you because they learn you are ineligible for rehire somewhere else and don't give you a chance to explain, then that's a red flag too.

9. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistSeptember 10,2025 at 6:25PM UTC

   The last several companies I've worked for don't ask about that.

   We do employment and education verification and a criminal background check. We verify dates of employment and title. That's it.

   Many companies no longer keep their own employment records, they outsource it to a third party vendor.

   When you fill out the background check form, you should be able to check a box that says "do not contact this employer" - you will then have to verify that employment yourself - most likely with W2s.

10. Mary PattersonSeptember 11,2025 at 9:23PM UTC

    Can you say EEOC Lawsuit? When you are working in a nonprofessional toxic work environment your Federal Government laws will protect you. Read your EEOC Laws and if this company has a policy that blackballs you or discrimnates against you, then this movement screams class action lawsuit. Report to the FTC and Report them on the BBB. Companies do not like negative public publicity.