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YANML: Changing the job position mid-way through the interview process: legal?

  • YANML: Changing the job position mid-way through the interview process: legal? I was recently the internal candidate for a certain split position (two different positions in one). I did not get the job, and later learned that mid-way through the interview process, the hiring committee decided to change the job to entail just one of those positions without letting the candidates know. There was also no updated job description that went out. The position that they omitted was the one that I was the indestructable candidate for. This strikes me as, at the very least, unethical, and possibly illegal. I want to know how much righteous indignation to feel. What say you? I'm in Wyoming, if that matters. Thanks! (And yes, I know the fine print about legal advice).

  • Answer:

    Where is the law that says a company can't change positions, especially when that position is empty? IANAL but this does not strike me as anything like "illegal" and you have no reason to feel indignation.

anonymous at Ask.Metafilter.Com Visit the source

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This strikes me as, at the very least, unethical, and possibly illegal. I really don't understand why. What unethical purpose could this have served? Maybe their needs changed and they decided that you're not the right candidate for those needs right now. Do you think they did this because they have some personal issue with you and don't want to hire you? If that's the case, then they wouldn't need to go to the trouble of changing the position. They could just not hire you. Just because you think you're an indestructable candidate, doesn't mean they do.

amro

I'm sorry you didn't get the job. But, it doesn't even seem unethical (never mind illegal). They further defined the job as the interviews were in progress and as they heard each candidate explain what they could do for their company.

Houstonian

It might be a rules violation if you work for a unionized operation or a government department where internal promotion practices are tightly defined and have controls on where how and how long a job has be posted. If so, you probably have a union steward you could talk to about this, who would be able to provide much more specific advice than AskMe.

jacquilynne

To me, it seems logical to do what they've done. If they had contacted you and said "hey, our needs changed, we're now looking for this" would you have said "thanks for your time, I don't think I'm going to fit there, please withdraw my application"? If so, then you still wouldn't have the job and they've had spent lots of time contacting people. Lose-lose.

Brian Puccio

Stupid and irritating, but unlikely to be illegal.

His thoughts were red thoughts

Poor form, but definitely not illegal.

carlh

What jacquilynne said; I'd almost say the only way this could be illegal would be a state merit system job, or perhaps certain government contractor jobs where they are so bound up in regulations they are quasi-governmental. Shady and stupid, yes. You might consider yourself lucky.

randomkeystrike

The strongest words I can think of for this are irritating or possibly annoying. I wouldn't even call it unethical.

magnetsphere

Here's the thing about that fine print about legal advice: you really have to go have a consult with a lawyer or something if you want to know if what happened to you was legal. We don't know enough information -- even if anyone knew anything about Wyoming employment law. Who was the employer? Do you think they got rid of the position you were well qualified for because they had some discriminatory or otherwise improper reason for not wanting to hire you? Was the employment, if you had gotten it, going to be at will? Also, if it turns out the employer did behave unlawfully, what do you want to happen? Do you just want to be pissed off? Legality aside, that's a legitimate feeling. Do you want to sue? Were you damaged in any way other than the fact that you didn't get the job?

J. Wilson

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