Can a potential employer legally contact a former/current employer without your permission?

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Can a potential employer legally contact a former/current employer without your permission?

After applying to a new job, I got a call from my old job the next day asking about my new application. This

happened even though I did not give the new job permission to contact them when asked on the application. Is this illegal or is it just a scummy thing to do?

Asked on May 17, 2017 under Employment Labor Law, New York

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 6 years ago | Contributor

Just scummy. Any person (or business) may contact any other person (or business) unless there was an actual written contract or agreement to not do so. My wife is in HR: she would tell you that this is a real and common risk of applying for job 2  while still at job 1.


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