Is it illegal to lie about references/past work experience?

V.T.V.RAM

It is not a criminal offense,If you furnished false information, you are liable to be dismissed from service as per the terms of contract of employment .

michr

illegal - NO
smart - NO!!!

lying on your application is just not smart
an adult telling a youth that they will lie for them is just stupid and wrong but that is a whole different topic.

you don't need to lie, most employers know younger applicants don't have much job experience and they don't expect it.
they do expect honesty, they expect that you apply what you are taught and give an honest effort.

depending on your age explaining how you have to much experience can be worse then very little. it is not good to have a lot of jobs for short time periods. just be honest and then you don't have to worry about being caught in a lie or forgetting details of your past that don't actually exist.

EDIT:
really think before you listen to comments like Leesa's.
since you asked this question it is obvious that you are a better person then that and are concerned about being seen as having lied.

savvy_recruiter

It will become illegal when you put it on an application. Applications are considered legal paperwork, so you don't ever want to lie on one. That's why you don't want to start on a resume because sooner or later, your new employer will ask you to fill out an application for your personnel file.

Rather, you can ask this person to be a personal reference. Although he won't be able to comment directly on your work performance, he could still comment on things like your follow through or your reliability if you've ever helped him do anything.

Hope this is helpful!

Crystal Violet

It depends on the job. Anything in the medical field, or working with children/elderly... They will do a background check and wonder why you didn't get paid from that company... ie where did the taxes go?

At best it will look like you worked under the table.
At worst you will look like you are lying.

mike k

well im not sure if its illegal as in go to jail..put u do sign your name stating that all the ?'s u answered and all the info u gave is true...honesty is your best policy

gampl69wet69herrro7799969ducks69

yes and no but its best not to do so because if they find out
it was a lie, then you will lose your job for sure.

jack w

If you're lying to a federal or state agency, about your employment history, it could be a crime. Most likely not. You'll just get fired.

TedEx

There's a difference between lieing and stretching the truth.
It;s ok to exaggerate your job, but never say you worked there when you didn't.
For example, i took a job as customer service rep. My boss asked me, "what is my job title. " I replied, " cust svc rep. " He said I should use the title, Customer service supervisor, " because "supervisor" sounds like I can cut through red tape and BS faster than a clerk could." Note" no one is a sales clerk anymore, they're 'sales associates." That;s an exaggeration.
It;s ok for your friend's father to be willing to say you're a good worker, but to falsify that you worked there when you didn't , that's a lie. Don't do it.
No, there'd be no criminal charges, but there would be damage to your reputation and to the trust the company might have in you.

Free career advice

it's not illegal, but it is dishonest. You can bend the truth a little when you are desperate for a job reference or experience, but believe me, the person who is checking the reference will figure it out, they will ask your reference specific questions about your job performance and if they don't match up, they will not consider you. It is better to use someone you worked with. If you were fired, then you will have to get creative in who you ask to give you a reference. If this is a situation where you were fired, then maybe using your freind is the best way, but you'd better rehearse it with them to pull it off.

richard t

not criminal...just gets you out of the work...........

Tom Cruze

Dunno bout illegal but your employer can dismiss you

HR Pro

Lying on work documents is not illegal... it's true name is falsification of records. Not punishable by law. Worse case scenario is immediate dismissal and you would be tagged as not rehirable.

leysarob

It happens often -- most employers will recognize a fake reference. But, hey, take your chances ... and risk not getting the job.

Ask ME

I dont know about it being illegal but i your employer finds out you might get fired..or not even get the job to begin with

Tom B

There are no laws governing truthfulness of statements included on resumes. However, it is important not to lie or stretch the truth on a resume, as a false resume may be grounds for dismissal. (quoted text)

Personally, I don't think it would be a smart move to lie. The consequences of getting caught would severely affect your career chances.

Why don't you prepare well for your job interview and show some confidence?

Your choice.

retrofaerie

I don't know about that, but you can lose out on a job if they find out that you're not telling the truth.

Jennifer W

Yeah, but people do it all the time, the worst I've ever seen happen is the person lost their job. Most people do stretch the truth a bit, especially when they are young and applying for their first job. ;-)

leesa

If lying was illegal, we'd all be in jail. Your friend's father definitely knows how the real world works, so be happy that he is willing to do this for you. If you know it's a job that you can do and you're confident that you can get the job, lie as much as you need to. It's just the way of the world. Don't be naive.

OLD SCHOOL

in the right setting Yes it is And its wrong as you know don't do it tell the truth you will feel better about it.

If they ever did find out, I HIGHLY doubt they would prosecute. They have many more things to worry about and spend money on! Not sure if it is illegal, though I highly doubt it (unless this was a government job or something like that.)

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