Something I found out today at work, so it counts, right?
Another team in my department was supposed to have a new person start this week. Orientation Monday, then first day in the department Tuesday. He wasn't here yesterday. Today, I found out why. Monday, he emailed HR and said that he wasn't taking the job, and was going to stay with his current company. He'd accepted the job offer 2-3 weeks ago.
He's blacklisted with HR - will never even get an interview here again.
This is probably the same HR that provides a nice booklet filled with information about how your employment is "at will" and can be terminated at any time
True, but it's generally considered good form to let your new employer know that you aren't taking the job. A few years ago we interviewed and hired someone that was very excited at the job, didn't say anything negative about it. The man was currently unemployed.
On the day he was supposed to come in, he didn't and didn't call or email us. We reached out to him and he said that he took another job and said that he didn't really want the job we wanted. When we asked him why he didn't say this, or bring up any concerns, or even tell us that he accepted another job he didn't really have a good response. Fast forward two years later, he got let-go from that company and had a friend of his who knows one of my employees well ask if there was a place for him.
My employee came in that Monday with a big smile on his face and told me this. Then he asked, "What should I tell him?"
I had to fight the urge to tell him to tell the original person, "TO GO #$#% themselves," only because I knew that my employee would send the message verbatim.
Oh, and the employee that brought me the message...we only hired him because the original guy backed out. I actually didn't like him, but am glad that I was overruled...this guy has been worth his weight in gold, and has been given raises every 6 months because he keeps justifying his worth.
Sorry for the long message, but I feel like people here would appreciate this story.