Failed Experian background check, job offer withdrawn

forthaven

I am really devastated here. 

Ive been with scope for a while having in work support, I was working at a web development agency but being mistreated quite badly. I was advised to seek something else.

I had an interview for a role a couple of weeks ago, which apparently I totally aced! and was offered the senior developer postition! I was really happy about this obviously. They sent me a full contract to sign, the did say there was a background check involved. This made me nervous, so I explained I had a poor credit history, and so on. But they said it was more an ID check etc. They were also pressuring me to agree to a start date that was quite soon. So i signed the contract and handed in my notice.

The background checking only completed this week, all my references checked out (so they told me) but they said it was unsatisfactory and have withdrawn the job offer. They wont tell me why! 

Its driving me absolutley mad. The only thing I can think it might be is I was breifly employed with an agency for 2 weeks last year, which I had totally forgotten about, and was removed from my CV as it was not really relevant. But this might show up on the check. However, I did not intentionally mislead them, it was simply on the back of advice I had to present my work history as best I could, which we all do dont we?
They are now stonewalling and not it seems going to tell me why they have done this. I have been left with no job, becuase of the pressure over the start date, and signing contract beliving that all would be well. I just messed up a form basically it seems, I put in my work history from my CV which had the 2 week job omitted. It was an accident. 

Im left with no job as well, i cant go back to my old one now! they have wrecked me badly. They did NOT know I was autistic, I was going to disclose to them at the right time, I have told them now (who knows maybe thats come up somehow?) and tried to say that I did not mean to mislead them in any way, but I am just guessing as to the reasons! its horrific to treat people this way!

L_Volunteer

Hey @forthaven. Thank you for reaching out to us. I always appreciate the courage this can take, especially when you are going through such a difficult time.

The most common reasons for this are: Unsatisfactory references - do you know how these might have gone for you / could you ask your references for a copy? and any criminal convictions. 

Not saying either is guaranteed to be the reason for you but these are the most common. As @stormy said, you could ask for a subject access request.

The thing to note, though, is they don't have to provide references within a subject access request if they were not given permission to share them by the reference contacts.

I can only empathise with how difficult this must be for you, especially as you are left questioning the 'why'. Please do not hesitate to let us know if there is anything we can do to support you 

forthaven

Hi to respond to the last comment.
I checked with the jobs that I did put down, that the dates were correct, and the referencing done was just 'dry' references. As I said in my post, becuase this director wont tell me his reason why, I am just guessing about it being this possible omission of the 2 week job.
I hardly think its fair not to allow me ot correct my record it was a genuine mistake, and I had committed to them already. 

forthaven

Ok just a quick update, I have submitted a subject access request to try and get hold of my report. that might shed some light on this. the point here though is that this could be an error (Experian have done that before, was quite a long time ago, but i had murder trying to sort it out). the fact im not being given the benefit of the doubt at all, after making such a big commitment to them, is really out of order. Whatever the reasons, I think many people have a job that doesnt work out, for whatever reason. In this case, this short 2 week thing was an absolute nightmate, I was fired for 'not fitting in'- his actual words in the termination email, after asking me in the Interview if I had any disabilities (a huge red flag!). 
I am totally fed up trying to work. i just want to give up.

Ivy2023

Are there any legal steps you can take? It feels like you have been discriminate against and you should be compensated for the money you are losing. You would not have quit your last job if it weren't for them.

2oldcodgers

I cannot understand why anybody would give up a job whilst waiting for a formal offer to start is issued for another employer.
It's a good job that the poster didn't apply for a job with certain government departments. They not only want to see a good credit rating, they even want to check out your family down to the grandparents if they are still alive. I moved from one department to a different one and whilst they did the normal checks I had to go through a vetting process as well.
I certainly would not have resigned on the sort of promise given to the poster.

forthaven

2oldcodgers said:

I cannot understand why anybody would give up a job whilst waiting for a formal offer to start is issued for another employer.
It's a good job that the poster didn't apply for a job with certain government departments. They not only want to see a good credit rating, they even want to check out your family down to the grandparents if they are still alive. I moved from one department to a different one and whilst they did the normal checks I had to go through a vetting process as well.
I certainly would not have resigned on the sort of promise given to the poster.

I have to respond to this.

I was not just leaving over assurances- we signed a contract. Ok, the offer letter is conditional but there is no mention of this in the actual contract being a condition. As it turns out that doesn't matter, but I did not know that.

They were setting the start date of employment. To meet this I had to hand in notice before the checks were completed. I raised that as a concern and really they were insistent on the date being what it was.

You've been quite judgemental here. I'm a very cautious person and I don't gamble like this usually, my hand was forced. 

Adeline

2oldcodgers said:

I cannot understand why anybody would give up a job whilst waiting for a formal offer to start is issued for another employer.
It's a good job that the poster didn't apply for a job with certain government departments. They not only want to see a good credit rating, they even want to check out your family down to the grandparents if they are still alive. I moved from one department to a different one and whilst they did the normal checks I had to go through a vetting process as well.
I certainly would not have resigned on the sort of promise given to the poster.

You remind me a lot of my uncle. He's always so critical of everything other people do and any time something goes wrong for someone, he likes to point out how exactly he believes it is their fault and how he is so superior as he would never do that himself. Yet interestingly never has any useful advice for helping a situation..  🙄 
Forthaven had a signed contract, so had no way to know it wouldn't work out.

@forthaven have your former employer found a replacement yet? Maybe they would consider taking you back on? I'm so very sorry you are in this position. 

forthaven

Adeline said:

2oldcodgers said:

I cannot understand why anybody would give up a job whilst waiting for a formal offer to start is issued for another employer.
It's a good job that the poster didn't apply for a job with certain government departments. They not only want to see a good credit rating, they even want to check out your family down to the grandparents if they are still alive. I moved from one department to a different one and whilst they did the normal checks I had to go through a vetting process as well.
I certainly would not have resigned on the sort of promise given to the poster.

You remind me a lot of my uncle. He's always so critical of everything other people do and any time something goes wrong for someone, he likes to point out how exactly he believes it is their fault and how he is so superior as he would never do that himself. Yet interestingly never has any useful advice for helping a situation..  🙄 
Forthaven had a signed contract, so had no way to know it wouldn't work out.

@forthaven have your former employer found a replacement yet? Maybe they would consider taking you back on? I'm so very sorry you are in this position. 

Ok now you're just being insulting.

Look here whoever you are, you do not know me. This situation is not my fault but it is my responsibility, ok? That's why I'm posting for advice.

Now in this scenario one could say, well I should have been assertive and said to wait until checks were all completed before handing in my notice. In fact, I tried to do exactly this, but I was given assurances it was a light touch ID check and a criminal check. Until about a week and a half later, I did not know Experian were the company doing it. I thought it was just them (maybe their HR).

As I said they were very firm on this start date almost to the point of withdrawal of offer if I didn't agree, it seemed that way.

Now the second issue is the mis reporting of my past employment. This is horrific as it is not an issue of either my past employers lying, or me either. One example is the CEO of a past job got my job title slightly wrong. This failed the section for that job. However, I have the signed contract, this could have been easily fixed. The other mistakes are just as stupid even more so. It's splitting hairs to the point of it being almost needing the exact text to match like a password. That's beurocracy gone mad and has led to the mis reporting. To be clear none of my employers or myself lied on the forms we were sent but it's basically claiming one of us is. That's absolutely despicable and yes it's not my doing at all!

I hold myself to account far more than you realise. You are suggesting I hold a world view that I do not. as we say in Liverpool, wind your neck in mate.

But I also have the right to fair treatment if I'm doing things in good faith and with guidance. As I say there is no need to start insulting me with accusations like you have. 

Adeline

Oh @forthaven, please let me explain. My comment was for @2oldcodgers, not for you. I thought they were out of line with their response to you and I was explaining that. I'm so sorry if you thought it was directed at you or that I thought you were to blame. 

I think your situation is just awful and I don't think you are to blame for it. I would have done the exact same thing as you did and I think most people would have to. Once you've signed a contract with another employer of course you must give your resignation to your current one. Not for one moment was I trying to insult you with my post. I was doing the opposite and trying to defend you against @2oldcodgers's insensitive and in my opinion incorrect reply. 

forthaven

Adeline said:

Oh @forthaven, please let me explain. My comment was for @2oldcodgers, not for you. I thought they were out of line with their response to you and I was explaining that. I'm so sorry if you thought it was directed at you or that I thought you were to blame. 

I think your situation is just awful and I don't think you are to blame for it. I would have done the exact same thing as you did and I think most people would have to. Once you've signed a contract with another employer of course you must give your resignation to your current one. Not for one moment was I trying to insult you with my post. I was doing the opposite and trying to defend you against @2oldcodgers's insensitive and in my opinion incorrect reply. 

Ah ok, that wasn't clear I'm on my phone here.

Yeah well whoever is making the comment does raise something interesting about enhanced background checking. My line manager told me he had to do that, and that my check was 'basic'.

This company are in fact government contractors. This is I think a lot of the reason, with that you get one shot to be "whiter than white" despite the fact government is packed full of crooks. It's all about perceptions. Which in my case is showing me to be a liability, I wouldn't hire me on face value from the Experian report either!

And yes I play fair, I had to with current employer. And no they won't take me back. I was leaving for a reason, being micromanaged and treated as the office junior.

Ivy2023

forthaven said:

Ok just a quick update, I have submitted a subject access request to try and get hold of my report. that might shed some light on this. the point here though is that this could be an error (Experian have done that before, was quite a long time ago, but i had murder trying to sort it out). the fact im not being given the benefit of the doubt at all, after making such a big commitment to them, is really out of order. Whatever the reasons, I think many people have a job that doesnt work out, for whatever reason. In this case, this short 2 week thing was an absolute nightmate, I was fired for 'not fitting in'- his actual words in the termination email, after asking me in the Interview if I had any disabilities (a huge red flag!). 
I am totally fed up trying to work. i just want to give up.

Unless you applied for a senior developer position in the finance sector it is odd that they want to check your credit score. For me that is another red flag. And yes, asking in the interview if you have any disabilities is a huge red flag. Basically the company showed you that they are not a good fit for you. I would try to get compensation for stringing me along, promising a job. Get some help for it, Union Representative or citizens advice.

2oldcodgers

Adeline said:

2oldcodgers said:

I cannot understand why anybody would give up a job whilst waiting for a formal offer to start is issued for another employer.
It's a good job that the poster didn't apply for a job with certain government departments. They not only want to see a good credit rating, they even want to check out your family down to the grandparents if they are still alive. I moved from one department to a different one and whilst they did the normal checks I had to go through a vetting process as well.
I certainly would not have resigned on the sort of promise given to the poster.

You remind me a lot of my uncle. He's always so critical of everything other people do and any time something goes wrong for someone, he likes to point out how exactly he believes it is their fault and how he is so superior as he would never do that himself. Yet interestingly never has any useful advice for helping a situation..  🙄 
Forthaven had a signed contract, so had no way to know it wouldn't work out.

@forthaven have your former employer found a replacement yet? Maybe they would consider taking you back on? I'm so very sorry you are in this position. 

I am not disputing that there was a contract involved. What I would have done is immaterial. I would be more interested in knowing the terms of that contract. In these cases where references/credit checks etc have to be carried out by a future employer it is normal to put a clause in the contract that would say something like - 'SUBJECT TO' ...................

Alex_Alumni

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