SINGAPORE: A Singaporean worker was shocked to discover that she had been placed on HR’s “not eligible for rehiring” list after resigning from her job.
She shared her experience on Reddit on Wednesday (March 5), explaining that she had always done her job well, completed everything on time, maintained a good relationship with her colleagues, and was willing to serve her full notice period to help out.
Moreover, she mentioned that she only decided to resign due to a change in management.
“The new boss is trying to push out the team he inherited from the previous CEO. He wants to hire his own people. Several teammates had already left before I resigned,” she said. “So I am serving my full notice period to help my boss and teammates as they are finding my replacement.”
She then asked others in the community, “If future employers call HR for a reference, is it legal for them to disclose that I’m on the ‘do not rehire list’? This could hurt my chances of getting a new job.”
She also wondered, “Can I contest my boss or the HR for putting me on this list? I’ve never done anything wrong to deserve this. I literally resigned due to office politics.”
“I would not be bothered about it”
In the discussion thread, several Redditors explained that the “not eligible for rehiring” list is typically an internal record that companies do not disclose to outsiders. They pointed out that employees can be placed on this list for various reasons, but companies are generally cautious about disclosing it to avoid potential litigation.
One said, “It is an internal list for their reference. I would not be bothered about it. You left the company and chances are you won’t be joining back anyway. If they called you back, it’s on them.”
Another shared, “Same thing happened to me. Don’t worry about it. It didn’t affect my next two job reference checks. As long as you didn’t commit any crime or falsify any information, your future employer will take what they receive (assuming if your past company provides) with a pinch of salt as I’m sure they know of such political and petty reasons for blacklisting. They will ask for references if they want real assessments of you.”
A third mentioned, “If it’s MNC then they won’t give references as a policy. The most they will give is the dates that you worked there. They won’t say anything else for fear of getting sued.”
Reasons someone could end up on a ‘do-not-rehire’ list
According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, many employers keep a “do-not-rehire” list to flag job applicants for HR, hiring managers, and recruiters. Being on this list means former employees can’t be rehired by the company.
There are several reasons why someone might end up on the list. For example, not providing the required one-month notice when resigning, especially in companies that are strict about this, can result in being added to the list. Even missing a single day during the notice period without a valid reason may lead to this outcome.
Additionally, failing to return company property by the last day of employment or handing it to the wrong person can be grounds for being blacklisted. Employees may also be placed on the list due to disciplinary issues, such as chronic tardiness or failure to follow company policies. Finally, incomplete paperwork, like skipping the exit interview or mishandling company records, can also lead to being added to the do-not-rehire list.
Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)