Is lying on a resume a crime?
Once an employee has been found to have lied on their resume, the employer has the right to terminate the employment contract. The employee and employer relationship is one that's built upon trust. Finding out that the job was granted based on fictitious information causes this trust to be breached.
Once an employee has been found to have lied on their resume, the employer has the right to terminate the employment contract. The employee and employer relationship is one that's built upon trust. Finding out that the job was granted based on fictitious information causes this trust to be breached.
Potential for lawsuits
If an employer can demonstrate that your lies have harmed their business, they may have grounds to sue you. Lying about having a license to practice law or medicine opens you up to further lawsuits. Being found guilty of fraud can lead to misdemeanor or felony charges, as well as jailtime.
This could mean a fine of up to $2,000 and a sentence of up to six months in jail. In other states, the same offense is a higher misdemeanor (which could be classified as a felony). This could mean a sentence of up to a full year in prison.
Lying on a resume is not illegal in itself, but some lies can cause legal problems for the applicant or employee. Companies can sue ex-employees who mislead the company and cost it money. If the resume requires employees to make a sworn statement, the lying becomes illegal.
If you told a big lie, it might be a good idea to fess up, though it might get you fired. If you haven't received an offer yet, you can elect to simply withdraw your application. Either way, it's not a black and white situation — go seek professional advice.
Most times, they will speak with the human resources department or your previous supervisor. However, employers most often contact previous employers to verify you are accurately representing your experience with them, rather than get a review of your time with them.
College degree (or equivalent): 41% Personal details, such as age, location or name: 39.5% High school details: 39.2% Salary information: 33.6%
You'll be ineligible for unemployment benefits. Lying on your resume means that you'll be fired for cause and won't be able to collect unemployment. You could lose your professional license.
In short, yes. CV lies are illegal. Making changes like inflating your university grades or changing previous job titles may seem small, but they can be classed as 'fraud by false representation', which carries a maximum 10-year jail sentence. So what exactly makes a lie on a resume fraud?
Can an employee be fired for lying on resume?
Under California Law, Can My Employer Fire Me for Lying on a Job Application or Resume? Yes, an employer can terminate an employee for lying on a job application.
An ethicist responds: As you've recognized, you should never lie on your resume or exaggerate the truth.

Can you lie about GPA on your resume? We do not recommend it. As we mentioned, lies are easy to detect and you should always rely on your skills and strengths, rather than create an imaginary image of yourself through lies. The only acceptable “lie” about your GPA can be rounding its value.
How do you approach this situation? The first step in dealing with a new hire who lied about something on a resume is to confront the person directly. The meeting should be conducted in private and the person who is handling the meeting should be straightforward and polite.
While there are no laws outright banning the practice, there are several ways in which a note taken the wrong way can translate into legal problems.
For example, you might say, “I was so excited to work at this organization, and I made the wrong choice. I sincerely apologize for any harm and embarrassment I caused.” Remember, your confession won't change the outcome.
If you use fake employment verification methods to obtain a loan, lease, or credit card, you may be unable to make payments as needed and therefore fall further and further behind financially. You can go to jail. Lying about your job history can come with criminal charges and potential jail time.
- The company is likely to conduct background or reference checks. ...
- It gives you a bad reputation both now and in the future / for future roles. ...
- Your employer will eventually figure it out. ...
- You will always be worried someone will discover your lie.
If a position is an entry-level job, most employers verify the previous three years of employment. However, more senior-level positions and jobs requiring more skills should require more years of employment verification such as the last five to seven years.
Some hiring managers do it themselves, reaching out directly (typically via phone) to your current or previous employers to request official verification. Alternatively, employers may use professional background screening firms and/or an employment verification service such as The Work Number® from Equifax.
Can future employers see if I was fired?
You are right to be aware that your prospective employer may check on the reasons you left your job. Most employers conduct background or reference checks during the interview process. If you've been terminated for cause, it may well come up during their investigation.
There's a good chance you won't get caught. According to the ResumeLab study, only 31% of résumé cheaters are caught, and of these just 65% are not hired, or they're fired once the employer finds they've hired a cheater.
ResumeBuilder.com surveyed 1,250 Americans about what they've lied about when looking for a job. Seventy-two percent admitted to lying on their résumé.
- Typos and Grammatical Errors. ...
- Lack of Specifics. ...
- Attempting the "One–Size–Fits–All" Approach. ...
- Highlighting Duties Instead of Accomplishments. ...
- Going on Too Long or Cutting Things Too Short. ...
- Bad Summary. ...
- No Action Verbs. ...
- Leaving Off Important Information.
If you sign a statement that the information you provide to the employer is true and then you proceed to lie, that is illegal. The odds of you being charged are likely slim. Depending on the state you're in, the legally enforceable repercussions (aside from getting fired) could include a civil penalty, such as a fine.
Further, dishonesty may be grounds for a range of discipline. An employer may decide to demote, temporarily suspend, or take work or clients away from an employee as discipline. However, more serious consequences like getting fired, sued, losing your license, or facing criminal charges may be possible.
Muse Career Coach, Theresa Merrill, advises people to be honest about their current or past salary. Misrepresenting anything about your work history in an interview or on an application is “unethical,” and therefore unadvisable.
First, the vast majority of employers check references, and if you're caught using a fake reference, your application will be immediately rejected. It's not a gamble worth taking, especially if your application stands a chance of success based on your actual (true) skills and experiences.
Yes, you can sue your employer for false promises. Misleading statements can land an employer in court for negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent inducement, or other legal issues.
Falsification of a job application, or lying during an interview, is generally considered disqualifying misconduct. However, that does not apply very easily if the claimant lied in answering an illegal question, i.e., a question that the employer is not supposed to be asking.
Are fake references illegal?
Fake references are illegal, if you're caught. Providing a fake reference meets the definition of criminal fraud, and you could also potentially be sued for other issues, like defamation. Is a company likely to pursue legal action against someone that provided a fake reference? In practice, probably not.
Lying on your resume comes in three forms: lies of commission, lies of omission, and embellishment. A lie of commission is a false statement. Saying you went to Harvard when you didn't, claiming you have a master's degree when you don't, or saying you can write code when you can't are all lies of commission.
Employers may appreciate reviewing your transcripts to see if you completed specific courses that relate directly to a skill you need for the job. To get your transcript, you probably need to contact the registrar's office or the records office at your school.
Employers have always asked for college transcripts when hiring for occupations that require a college degree. This is because college transcripts provide employers with a comprehensive look at an applicant's academic history. The transcript includes an applicant's grades, course credits, and any degrees earned.
The national average GPA is 3.0 which means a 2.7 is below average, and so you may have to work harder to catch up.
- Palter. Definition: to act insincerely or deceitfully. ...
- Dissemble. Definition: to hide under a false appearance. ...
- Prevaricate. Definition: to avoid telling the truth by not directly answering a question. ...
- Mendacious. Definition: likely to tell lies. ...
- Fib. ...
- Equivocate. ...
- Perjure. ...
- Half-truth.
- Too much information. ...
- A solid wall of text. ...
- Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. ...
- Inaccuracies about your qualifications or experience. ...
- Unnecessary personal information. ...
- Your age. ...
- Negative comments about a former employer. ...
- Too many details about your hobbies and interests.
Generally you can use your preferred name anywhere your legal name is not mandatory. I would suggest against using nicknames or fake last names in Linkedin, but you can keep only one letter in the last name, for example, John D. in Linkedin and resumes.
- Spelling and grammar errors. If you want a professional job, write like a professional. ...
- Using passive language. ...
- Missing or unnecessary contact information. ...
- Not well organized, concise or easy to skim. ...
- Too long.
- Say nothing. You have the option to say nothing to anyone about your actions and hope you don't get caught lying. ...
- Withdraw your job application. ...
- Bring an updated version of your resume to the job interview. ...
- Be honest about the lie. ...
- Turn the lie into a truth if you've already been hired.
What happens if you lie about your GPA on a resume?
Not only do you risk losing your job if you do get caught lying, but you also risk some serious damage to your future. There have been numerous cases of well-known executives getting fired because they lied about their GPA or degree.
Can you lie about work experience? Lying on your job application is not illegal unless you provided falsified documents such as certifications, educational degrees or licenses.
- Previous work experience: 55.4%
- Skills: 43.1%
- College degree (or equivalent): 41%
- Personal details, such as age, location or name: 39.5%
- High school details: 39.2%
- Salary information: 33.6%
Leaving small jobs off a resume is fine when they don't add anything to the new position, but if the skills and experience align with the new job, include them on your resume. Remember this applies to both hard and soft skills, don't overlook the value of teamwork, leadership or adherence to deadlines.
An employer may decide to sue an employee depending on the nature of the dishonesty. The employee may be liable for fraud or misrepresentation. And the civil damages can be significant. Alternatively, an employee may decide to sue their employer as well.
Yes, you can sue your employer for false promises. Misleading statements can land an employer in court for negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent inducement, or other legal issues.
While there's no clear-cut rule that dictates when to include your GPA, most career experts say to only keep it on a resume if it's over 3.5.