Fired for falsifying records because I took a different lunch break than usual...petty or not? and should I disclose this during interviews?
20 months ago I was fired from my employer of 5 years for "falsifying records" I took a different lunch break than usual and accidentally posted the normal time I usually take my lunch break, still took the same amount of time 1 hour but my manger reported me to HR and a week later I was informed that I was being terminated for falsifying records. I think this is about as petty as it gets and it's obvious this manger didn't like me. I have not be able to land a steady permanent job since, and I have had 10 interviews in the last 5 months but no offers. I have done mock interviews and aced them. I have been advised not to disclose this to hiring managers when being interviewed and instead just say I was let go or laid off. However I am begging to wonder if I should just tell them straight up what happened because I am beginning to think the reason I am not landing any of these jobs is because when these potential new employers reach out to my old employer and ask about my employment there and they get the word that I was terminated for falsifying records then that looks really bad on my part and since I didn't disclose that during the interview, they no longer consider me for the role.
I really need to get back on two solid feet so I am wondering if I should disclose this termination or not and was it petty or not? I have another interview next week. Any advice or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Keep it simple. Say, 'I was terminated once for ... (this or that). Don't try to explain the whole thing just yet. Let the interviewer ask for more detail. Again, keep it as succinct as possible and don't become emotional.
If I was you, during the interview process and when you start to discuss your employment history, go right to it. "I need to explain something to you, something that I feel is very important to discuss, when I was employed for 123 Corp., my new supervisor appeared not to have a professional likeness towards me. One day, I had taken a different lunch period (state reason). I wrote down on my time card the usual time instead of the actual time, that same supervisor reported me and I was let go." Be truthful, because later down the line if you do not address this, then the assumption could become fact.
At least name the hellhole so others can steer clear.
Actually, logging accurate work hours is a serious offence. Read over any employee handbook on the issue and you will see the company's policies, procedures and disciplinary actions are clearly outlined. What makes an offence look petty is due to the lack of management enforcement on the policies. Most managers are too busy to police employee time cards for these type of inconsistencies so employees think it’s okay as long as they aren’t trying to clock more hours than they worked.
So, in a way, your right to assume that manager had it out for you and as a result could also still be trying to negatively influence your ability to find another job. Illegal? Yesyes. Provable? Difficult.
If you think this is the main reason you’re not getting hired then don’t list that job as a reference contact or add more references that are going to speak positively about your skills, strengths, and outweigh what your last employer might be saying negatively about you.
#Jeffery S, It seems to be the same song and dance going around the work place. To say they care and/or show you how they care on your behalf is with the paper it's written on. I'm not in a union and haven't been for over 30yrs. Unions not supporting other unions when out on strike were the first signs of corporations breaking up/dividing of different unions and their members. (And union members buying Honda/Toyota cars-not buying union made products)Now we're seeing the power these corporations have with mistreatment of employees on situations and/or up to termination, because we're in a "work at will" state. We need more unions job opportunities and have the unions in place to protect the employees from the corporations. Anyways,got off topic. It's against the law and labor ethics code of California. You may also want to look into getting a lawyer for a wrongful termination suit. Good Luck and there's a lot of driving jobs out their for the picking.