Q: Washington DC employer refuses employment verification.
Last year my employment was terminated by a non-profit based out of Washington DC. It was because I anonymously blew a whistle on my supervisor's conduct. I was told if someone were to call for employment verification, the organization would only give out the start and the end date. Considering that DC is an at-will-employment jurisdiction, I was ok with that. And, instead of fighting, I decided to move on. Recently I got a new job. However, during the background check, I was informed that my former employer is not returning calls to confirm my employment dates. I tried contacting my former employer to find out why that is so. I did not get any response. My question is:
1) Can an employer not respond to the employment verification request?
2) If they continue to do so, what options do I have (I worked for them for over 20 years).
A: It is highly unusual for a former employer not to give verification of employment of a former employee. Usually the verification is very general, for example Mr Smith worked for Company A from Jan 1 2020 to Jan 1 2021. You would need to contact a licensed attorney in DC for a more in depth consultation in terms of the facts of the situation. This format is not meant to take the place of a virtual consultation. Most attorneys are giving phone consultations due to the Covid pandemic.
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