Judy e-mailed Congressman Harry Reid for information about their great-great uncle. Reportedly (as I don’t believe everything I read) Harry Reid's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research.
"Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."
And what, you ask, has this got to do with Employment Law. Well people, naturally, try to put their best foot forward when applying for jobs and tend to emphasise the positive rather than dwell on the negative.
When assessing curriculum vitae be a little cynical if the picture seems a little too rosy. Recent high profile examples of alleged CV “fraud’ include Former Immigration boss Mary Anne Thompson who is facing fraud charges arising out of her “CV “ and the first head of Maori Television, John Davy, who went to jail for faking his CV.
Be careful though before you dismiss someone for “CV” fraud. In a recent case, the NZ Institute of Fashion Technology employed a woman whose CV claimed a “Diploma of Tailor” from the People’s University of Teva. After she began work, the employer was concerned about her work. They did some research, found that a diploma from Teva was not equivalent to a New Zealand Diploma of Tailoring, and dismissed her for misrepresentation. The dismissal was not justified because the employee had been honest – it was the employer’s obligation to find out about the qualification.
Click here for Brian Richardson's article on reference checking.
