How you can overcome your past to land a job

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I was fired from my job previous to my current one for sexual harassment. That is the blunt explanation. When I was told about the charges, I know that I said things to both of them that, if taken completely out of context and just written on a piece of paper, were improper for me to say to a co-worker. No question. But at no time did I ever say anything to either of them that was out of context for the conversation that was happening.

Now, for my question. ... I generally list my reason for leaving this job as "Laid Off." A majority of my interviewers have not questioned me beyond that. One potential job offer was taken away from me because they found out through checking job history about the reason I was fired. I can't imagine getting any job offer after telling them "I was fired for sexual harassment," but I don't want to lose credibility by having a company find out about it on their own.

What do you think is the best way for me to handle this?
D.E., Mustang, Okla.

Since you were not convicted of a crime, your former employer has no right to tell anyone that you were fired for sexual harassment.

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“There was no trial. There was just an accusation,” says Los Angeles attorney Laura P. Worsinger. That means, what your former employer is doing is “totally defamatory and libelous.”

So, what you need to do now is contact your former boss, preferably through an attorney, and have him or her make it clear in a letter or by telephone that since you were not convicted of a crime, saying you were fired for harassment will get them in legal hot water. You need to insist that this former supervisor stop telling prospective hiring managers about the circumstances of your firing.

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“Most employers want to be careful not to get sued,” she explains.

When they ask you why you left your last gig, just keep it short and sweet: “The environment just wasn’t right for me, so I moved on.”

And in the future, keep any seemingly personal or sexual comments to yourself. I’m not going to get into what you said or didn’t say, but the bottom line is that some women, for better or worse, can be quite sensitive, so discuss non-work topics at your peril.

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