As healthcare providers, we know that for many in healthcare our life is our profession. We really care about our patients and want to do the best job for them. Getting disciplined, or even losing a job is a blow to us both personally and professionally. Even though you might be reeling from the experience, you need to focus on how to make a graceful exit. How you exit this job will impact the future of your career.
It can be painful to write “terminated” on a job application, but whether you are a nurse, physician, pharmacist or dentist, you are required to disclose that job and the termination on all your future job applications, otherwise it is considered a material misrepresentation in obtaining employment. There’s nothing wrong with being fired, it happens to a lot of people for a wide variety of reasons. However, you may not realize that there are often other options open to you in lieu of termination. An attorney can help you navigate through your options during this difficult transition.
If your employer opts to fire you, don’t just assume that you have no power to negotiate the terms of your dismissal. You can ask for a resignation in-lieu-of termination. The biggest benefit is that you protect your professional reputation since you were not terminated. However, there are a variety of things to consider such as whether you can use this job as a reference, your ability to file for unemployment benefits and if you want to return to this employer later.
So, as painful as losing a job is, don’t forget that you have options. You can make choices that will set you up for a successful career moving forward. Do you want our help negotiating your resignation? Just go to the Tell Us Your Story page and we’ll respond to any questions you may have about working with our legal team regarding employment matters.
