Is it legal to disclose to a potential applicant when you speak with their previous employers?
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Is it legal to disclose to a potential applicant when you speak with their previous employers?
I had scheduled an interview for a retail position with a person who had previously worked for the company I work for. I discovered after scheduling it that she left the previous store while under investigation by the company. I made it known that I had spoken with management at the other location when calling to cancel the interview. Have I opened the door for a lawsuit against the company or myself?
Asked on June 27, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Texas
Answers:
B.H.F., Member, Texas State Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
If you are disclosing something to an applicant that they should already know... that they were under investigation by a former employer... then it's not illegal. They may be upsetting, but upsetting news is not illegal to deliver. It is a violation of HIPPA to disclose to third parties privvy medical information... but that's not what appears to have happened here. You disclosed a performance issue to the person it was regarding. You had a right to call any references or former employers to ask about her performance.
The only person that has any potential liability is the person who told you there were performance issues, but only if the assertions were not true. If the other person told you something that was not true, then that person could be subject to a defamation suit.
As a best practice, it's best to simply tell applicants that you found a better fit when deciding not to hire someone. This keeps you out of any potential hot water or messy claims of defamation.
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