b'LEGAL MATTERSLEGAL MATTERS Hiring TipsThe Observationsof an Employment CounselSTEVEN E. BERS, ESQ. // PVA GENERAL COUNSELA fter law school, I was im- minations(forcause?),orinconsistent spacewiththeexplicitdirection,Whymediately hired by a man- with a claim of leaving for a better did this job end? Explain in detail.agement employment law job.Mightgapssuggestemployment Thedetailsshouldbereviewedinsuf-firm.Inthedecadessince,Ihaveseen theemployeedoesnotwanttodisclose? ficientdepthinaninterviewtodetecthiring successes and costly stumbles anyirregularitiesintheexplanation.inthehiringprocess,fourofwhichI The observed stumble shareinthisarticle.Whilethehiring TIP TWO: PROBATION landscape has greatly changed from of letting marginalSLIDE-THROUGHbaby-boomertimes,certainbest-prac- employees passIrecommendaprobationaryperiodinticesremainunchanged. probation is usuallyalljobs,meaningaperiodwhenemploy-ees are closely observed and coached,TIP ONE:caused by time andandareonnoticethattheyarenotyetSTUDY THE APPLICATION effort concerns. secure in continuing employment.Perhaps the greatest repeated stum- Generally, judges and arbitrators, andbleisthefailuretocloselyreviewthe It is easier to make doeven unions, will respect an employ-employment application, and more with a marginal hire,ment termination decision occurringprecisely whether the employment duringtheprobationaryperiod.pathseemslogical.Ibelievethatthe than the admitted single-mosttellinginformationonan expense and demandsHowlongshouldtheprobationperi-applicationisthestatedreasonwhyan of a new search.odbe?Thatdependsupontheperiodapplicant ended earlier employment. believednecessarytodemonstrateskillThe explanation for each transition The result is retainingachievementandgoodworkhabits.Itshouldbeprobeddeeplyininterviews. a marginal worker. israrethatfuturedeficienciescannotThis provides a valuable clue as to bedetectedduringaprobationarype-whatneedswerenotsatisfiedinprior riodwellmonitored.employment,aswellaswhatexpecta- Twobehaviorsmightbetheculpritintionstheapplicanthasdevelopedfor thefailuretofullyanalyzeemployment Easy enough, but how do employersanemploymentrelationship. applications:timeandapplicationfor- stumble?Themostcommonstumblemat.Unfortunately,especiallyinthe occurswhentheprobationaryperiodOftenaclosereviewcanrevealincon- recentclimateoflowunemployment, ends,andtheemployerfailstotakeasistencies, such as questions why a employersareinsuchneedforimme- realaccountastowhetherithashiredpersonleftareputableandwell-paying diate hiring, they overlook warning a successful candidate, or a C-minusemployer, in favor of a lesser paying signsinfavorofquickhiring.Second, workerthatshouldbeterminated.Ac-job,orwithanemployerwithlessjob employment applications often con- cordingtotheFederalBureauofLaboropportunity.Iftherewasaclaimedlay- tainaone-ortwo-inchspacetoanswer Statistics, the 2024 average employ-off,whywasthispersonlaidoffrather whytheemployeeleftanearlierjob. ment period for full time employeesthanothers?Mostimportantly,isthere Thispaltryspacesuggestssingleword is4.2yearsformenand3.6yearsforcontinuity in transitions or are there explanations are adequate. Instead, I women.Thus,eachhiringcanbechar-large unexplained time gaps, which recommendthatallapplications(even acterizedasa$200,000businessinvest-mightbeexplainedbyunexpectedter- electronic)providemanylinesorlarge mentiftheemployeepassesprobation.FOGHORN 34'