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Comment by throwawayboise | Hacker News Reader

If they terminate for fraud, they might be asked to prove it in some kind of wrongful termination claim, or risk being charged with libel or slander. Though the possibility might be remote, and the employer likely would prevail, the legal team and HR will not want to take any chance of having to spend time on that. They will want to take the lowest risk approach.

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Do wrongful termination cases like this ever come up when obvious fraud is involved from the get-go for a remote position?

Resume fraud happens all the time with fudged degrees and job titles and positions. Usually when corporate HR finds out termination is immediate.

Crazy people who commit fraud are the same people who continue the fraud and make things weird. Get away from the crazy.

And don't overlook the possiblity of some kind of scam being attempted. Get a foot in the door, get fired, sue. Happens all the time with injury claims. Probably less likely since "at will" is the employment law in most places, but it's still safer to terminate without alleging any wrongdoing.

Same reason most former employers will only confirm dates of employment on a reference check. They typically won't comment on performance or reasons for termination, just to avoid any potential backwash.

It’s true, but if the incentive for the employer is just to terminate, and there is no other consequence, then there is no dis-incentive for the fraudulent employee to keep trying until they find someplace their deception is unnoticed.

If you give your incompetent and fraudulent former employees soft landings, it means that your company can saddle its competitors with deadweight.

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