I was laid off April 2023 after I took a FMLA leave to care for my own depression and anxiety after going through a divorce. My boss then put me on a PIP following up with termination after my 5 years with the company - I had 2 years of exceeding-expectation performance reviews and a promotion and was working towards another one.

20 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 31,2024 at 7:39PM UTC

   Legally, they can't say anything negative about you after you have pursued legal action because it's viewed as retaliation. However, there's nothing to say that they aren't doing it anyway.

2. AnonymousJune 3,2024 at 6:48AM UTC

   Can you share examples of how can they do it?

3. AnonymousJune 3,2024 at 11:37AM UTC

   Examples of what? How they could be saying negative things about you? It could be as simple if someone calls to verify employment and HR says that the person isn't eligible for a rehire when asked.

4. Michelle LadyMay 31,2024 at 7:47PM UTC

   If you engaged an attorney, I would assume the company is not doing anything to blacklist you.

   Former colleagues dropping you, is common when you leave a company - regardless of the reason. Some people are "company" people only.

   Focus on your LI profile, resume and networking with individuals that know your value and support your job search efforts. I would also suggest reaching out to a recruiter in your area to help you. The job market has been bad for over one year.

5. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistMay 31,2024 at 8:49PM UTC

   No.

6. Denise LevineMay 31,2024 at 8:51PM UTC

   You don't need your previous coworkers to be connections. Build your network with others in the same field or industry.

   Next, create a resume filled with those achievements where you exceeded expectations.

   Finally, if a recruiter calls your former employer, they can say that they would NOT hire you back. If they say anything else, they can be sued.

   We had a client in a similar position. While she had a letter of reference from her previous boss, after having a stellar interview, they said they just had to confirm. Suddenly, no job offer. They wouldn't say why.

   She got someone she knew to email the old boss and ask him to confirm the recommendation letter. Instead, he went into a rant about how terrible she was etc. (He was a misogynist who hated strong women.)

   Unfortunately, there were cross border issues but she warned him that she would hire a lawyer and sue him if he continued to do anything like that.

7. AnonymousJune 3,2024 at 6:47AM UTC

   Did your client hire you for job hunting or what client are you referring to?

8. AnonymousMay 31,2024 at 11:59PM UTC

   Did you lawyer state in the agreement that your former employer can not talk negatively about you? I thought that would be common language in a lawsuit.

9. AnonymousJune 1,2024 at 1:04PM UTC

   What are you saying in your interviews about why you don't have the job you are speaking of? You could be turning interviewers off if you are getting interviews and nothing else.

10. GirlBossanova934974June 1,2024 at 1:09PM UTC

    Candidly, I don't think anyone's LinkedIn connections have anything to do with their future employment opportunities. When was the last time you looked at someone's LinkedIn profile and started looking at their connections? Unless you are a stalker type or some sales person trying to get in with some company, most people could care less. ONE THING you should be checking is if your settlement agreement was put online for everyone to see by outfits like UNICOURT. This assumes your lawyer filed documents with the local court and the severance agreement became part of court records. I won a settlement in 2022 and had to direct UNICOURT to redact any references to my name. If you want any UNICOURT records completely removed, you have to file a motion to seal the records for your case. Your former company has probably been told by its lawyers to sign the paperwork, pay the settlement and end any contact. Good luck with your job search.

11. AnonymousJune 3,2024 at 6:43AM UTC

    We didn’t go to court. It was settled before going to court.

12. GirlBossanova934974June 3,2024 at 5:51PM UTC

    If there was no filing with the court, you have nothing to be concerned with as far as future employers finding out about the settlement. I am quite confident that the settlement is bound by non disclosure agreements. The matter is closed.

13. Erin VegaJune 1,2024 at 1:16PM UTC

    Your coworkers have probably been told that they are not to have contact with you or they could be reprimanded and/or terminated as well.

14. AnonymousJune 3,2024 at 6:42AM UTC

    Can you elaborate how they could be told not to have contact with me? Formally, non-formally?

15. AnonymousJune 1,2024 at 4:35PM UTC

    Not likely but consult your attorney and find out if the contract they signed with you has a clause for only giving dates of employment and not sharing if you were regretted or non-regretted exit. Also see if there was a clause for non-disparagement. If there was it should be mutual.

    Keep looking the job search these days is taking 8-12 months for many and those not working it could be longer. Stay upbeat, take classes to keep your skills sharp and if you can volunteer or do something to stay positive and connected. You may be giving off vibes of victim in the interviews which could be turning off employers. Step back and speak about the positives.

16. AnonymousJune 1,2024 at 8:46PM UTC

    People move on. You have been gone for quite some time after a rocky end to your employment with that company.

17. Jessica FerlandJune 2,2024 at 11:31AM UTC

    I doubt that your ability to find a job has anything to do with your connections, or lack thereof, to this company. I've been part of interview teams and looked at candidates' LinkedIn profiles. Usually I'm looking at length of time at companies, anything not on their resume. If we have mutual connections sure, but...

18. AnonymousJune 2,2024 at 12:44PM UTC

    Not knowing the industry or your career level, there is very little chance people can be truly blacklisted unless it is a monopoly of some kind with a very tiny customer base. BUT - people do talk to people and for LinkedIn it might not be a bad idea for you to proactively remove anyone from that last company that may not be positive about you. When I'm interviewing I will ping people that are connected to people I'm speaking with at a company. Also, maybe reassess how you are addressing the "why you left" question. Remember to stay positive about the last company/people there/etc. Lastly, reach out to the last company's HR person and ask them how they handle references. Many companies will only provide dates of employment and will not include the reason you left. This will help you craft that 'why you left' answer along with possibly giving you some relief!

19. AnonymousJune 2,2024 at 1:04PM UTC

    Did you work for Amazon? This seems like their MO from what I’ve learned.

20. AnonymousJune 3,2024 at 6:45AM UTC

    I think this is what happened here even we settled before going to court. What can I do to reduce the potential impact of ‘blacklisting’ when conducting my job search? Do recruiters reach out before screening or after the final round?