Lying in an Interview

[A Squared]

This subject scomes up occasionally on this board. Ususally it is in hte context of some conviction which was expunged. A popular, but flawed, line of thinking is that if a crime or misdemeanor has been expunged, you are entitled to pretend that it never happened and may lie in response to questions about arrests and convictions.


Here's a case where that line of reasoniong didn't work very well for a pilot in a related issue:

http://www.peo7.com/peo/caselawsDetail41875/Page1.htm

It's a long document but hte short story is a pilot at Mesa was terminated for refusing a flight, and he filed a greivance and as reinstated with no loss of pay. He got called for an interview with Alaska, and in the interview said that he'd never been suspended terminated or otherwise disciplined. Alaska later found out about the termination and fired him for having lied in the interview. He sued, and it was dismissed, he appealed and the dissmisal was upheld.

If someone asks if you've ever been fired, they aren't asking if you've ever been fired but not reinstated, tey're asking if you've been fired. period If somone asks if you've been convicted of anything, they aren't asking if you've had any convictions which haven't been expunged, they're asking if you've had any convictions.

The case also addresses another common misconception; the idea that because the PRIA only requires specific items of information, then the former employer is prohibited form disclosing anything other than those specific items of information. The pilot in this case attempted to use this in his appeal, the judges just laughed at him.

 

[jaxpilot]

How does an airline find out if you have been in an accident or incident if you were not found at fault? I have always wondered that one.

 

[Scube3]

I have another advice for you guys to think about:

If in the other side you go an tell them your conviction and that it was expunge, etc, etc, your chances of getting hired at a National or Major (Alaska, Spirit...) are slim to none in the majority of the cases.
Think about that!


Scube.

 

[A Squared]

I have another advice for you guys to think about:

If in the other side you go an tell them your conviction and that it was expunge, etc, etc, your chances of getting hired at a National or Major (Alaska, Spirit...) are slim to none in the majority of the cases.
Think about that!


Scube.

Uhhh yeah, and in hte example I gave the guy tried your method and he got fired, now he's got to explain getting fired for lying to an enployer, as well as a previous termiantion which was overturned.

But if he'd been honest, he'd probably still be at Alaska. But lying for sure got him fired. Which would you pick?

 

[Scube3]

That's not my method, that's something to think about. That's all.
I personally don't think you can get into Alaska with any convictions (in most of the cases).

I wonder how many guys got hired into different companies with expunge convicitions and no one ever find out.... I wonder!. We'll never know.

Scube.

 

[Resume Writer]

Good post, ASquared. It is very important to disclose anything to you "think" can be found out. If a person tells the story, with the proper humility where appropriate, and then what he/she learned out of it, then that person might have a chance.

There is another lesson to be learned here. Do not burn bridges or make your co-workers mad at you.

There was one thing that disturbed me, though. That is the fact that the union MEC person was contacted and he disclosed the information. Having been in a union, it was my understanding that proceedings such as this are confidential. Perhaps there was not a clause put into his reinstatement that prohibited this, but it makes me uneasy.

 

[stearnst]

It's childish, but I laughed when I saw the case...Boring vs. Alaska Airlines

 

[time builder]

I have another advice for you guys to think about:

If in the other side you go an tell them your conviction and that it was expunge, etc, etc, your chances of getting hired at a National or Major (Alaska, Spirit...) are slim to none in the majority of the cases.
Think about that!


Scube.

I'm with you, I don't think he would have been hired in the first place if he had disclosed it from the beginning. Employers can tell you 'til they're blue in the face that they respect you for your honesty, but the track record doesn't always show it.
I'm not saying that we should be dishonest, just that employers should do more to reward those who disclose information that could have been hidden.

 

[FN FAL]

I'm not saying that we should be dishonest, just that employers should do more to reward those who disclose information that could have been hidden.

I'm surprised in this day and age of liability and "homeland insecurity", that 121 operators of large turbine equipment aren't required to perform polygraph tests on applicants.

Maybe that one America West pilot that arrested for a murder it is alleged he committed for hire about 20 years ago, would have been denied a job flying hundreds of potential murder victims around on a daily basis.

 

[atlcrashpad]

Read the report. This guy dug a hole and kept digging. Oh well.