Human Resource Blog

Hiring

	Hiring and Staffing
Complete Business Forms Kit CD Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Employment Application Long Form Substance Testing Consent Form Pre-Employment Reference and Background Check Employment Offer/Acknowledgment Receipt of Employee Handbook New Hire Survey

	Termination
Employee Warning Notice Employee Final Warning Notice Employee Resignation Form Exit Interview Questionnaire Separation Checklist

I was employed with a major drugstore chain and I want to know how I was coded when I left. How can I find out?

I think that you are asking “How can I find out if I am listed as ‘quit’ or ‘fired’ on the company’s payroll records?”  The answer is, you would need to call the previous employer and ask them. This is the same way that a prospective employer would find out. (It’s also the same way that the agency issuing unemployment benefits will find out.)

If you’re not comfortable calling and asking your supervisor, call the company’s Human Resources department.

If you have applied for unemployment compensation, you may hope that the company has listed you as “fired” because often people who quit do not qualify for unemployment, while people who were fired sometimes do. (There are exceptions to this rule, so if you have an additional question, feel free to post it. It’s also helpful to mention which state you are in.)

If you are job-hunting, you may hope that the company listed you as “quit” rather than terminated. Many applicants are nervous about admitting that they have been fired from their previous job. According to a professional resume writer, 77% of workers are fired at some point in their career. Often, it never even comes up in an interview, especially if it’s been several months since you worked. It’s only important if you were fired for “gross misconduct,” usually a serious offense like stealing from the company or assaulting a coworker.

It’s also important that you avoid saying anything negative about the former employer, supervisor or coworkers – that only makes it seem that you can’t get along with others. If you’d like tips on handling this situation, please feel free to post another question.

In the future, if you would prefer to be listed as “quit” rather than “fired,” you can give the employer a letter saying that you are resigning. It’s also customary in that situation to give the employer two weeks notice.