State Employement - Interpretation Needed
#16
Re: State Employement - Interpretation Needed
You mean your drawl isn't down pat yet and there isn't a pickup truck in the parking lot? Didn't you go to the interview in a tee shirt and jeans?
As for the employment verification issue, I realize that they were in the wrong but I wish they were in the right. What a waste of time to interview people, make your choice, and on the start date discover that the person doesn't have the right to work.
#17
Twice half his height
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Central Mississississippippi
Posts: 443
Re: State Employement - Interpretation Needed
So I got another call from the guy who originally interviewed me. He's the head of the programming group for the state agency I am applying with.
He asked me if I was still interested in the job, to which I replied that I was (it is a good job) and then said that his boss had asked him to call to ask a few more questions.
Firstly, he said that they may be able to hire me, with a few stipulations. One of them being that I must apply for US Citizenship. I explained to him that I was not eligible to apply for 2.5 years (based on marriage to USC), but it was part of my long term goal. I asked if some soft of background check was going to be done by the Department of Defence/State, or if I needed some sort of security clearence to work for the state. He told me I didn't, and couldn't explain why his boss had made that stipulation. I again reminded him that nothing in the original state produced job advert said US Citizenship required.
Next he asked about my green card. I told him that I had applied, and until it was processed and received, I kept using 1 year EAD's, and applied for a new one 90 days before the current one expired if need be, to maintain work authorization on paper.
He asked if I had proof of applying for the green card. This confused me, but I was willing to humour him and explained that I had a receipt notice from USCIS that they were processing my I-485 application. He asked if he could see a copy of that, and I agreed just to give him something to see.
He then asked about the expiration date on my EAD. I referred back to what I had said about applying for EADs during the processing of my AoS application.
I then got him to hold on a few moments while I opened the Employer Manual for filling in an I-9 and quoted a part about future expiration dates on documents, and that how although a document may have an expiration date, it shouldn't be used to make a decision because it doesn't preclude continious employment authorization or that authorization will not be granted again.
He asked where I was getting this information from, and I explained what an I-9 was, and where I got the Employer Manual. He was very interested in reading this (perhaps the HR people he originally spoke to did not explain any of this to him) so I said I'd send them in an email along with a copy of my I-485 receipt.
For all I may have had a bad feeling when this issue was first raised in the actual interview, after this phone call I had a good feeling. From the questions that he asked me, and the fact he told me I only got 1/2 of a question wrong on the apptitude test that I had to complete, I got the feeling that he was trying to understand the process so he could justify the hiring of me to his boss who may be having an issue with my status.
I asked him why he thought it was all being an issue, and he explained that they had been some problems in the past when the agency had sponsored someone to come and work for them. I tried to reassure him by explaining that the agency doesn't have to involve itself in my immigration affairs at all, it's all seperate from work.
So I'm still getting a bit of a run-around for the job, but I now feel a bit better about the situation. However, I've also had interviews for 2 other good jobs, so this may be all for naught. At the very least I'll have educated someone on what's right and wrong in terms of immigrant employment.
He asked me if I was still interested in the job, to which I replied that I was (it is a good job) and then said that his boss had asked him to call to ask a few more questions.
Firstly, he said that they may be able to hire me, with a few stipulations. One of them being that I must apply for US Citizenship. I explained to him that I was not eligible to apply for 2.5 years (based on marriage to USC), but it was part of my long term goal. I asked if some soft of background check was going to be done by the Department of Defence/State, or if I needed some sort of security clearence to work for the state. He told me I didn't, and couldn't explain why his boss had made that stipulation. I again reminded him that nothing in the original state produced job advert said US Citizenship required.
Next he asked about my green card. I told him that I had applied, and until it was processed and received, I kept using 1 year EAD's, and applied for a new one 90 days before the current one expired if need be, to maintain work authorization on paper.
He asked if I had proof of applying for the green card. This confused me, but I was willing to humour him and explained that I had a receipt notice from USCIS that they were processing my I-485 application. He asked if he could see a copy of that, and I agreed just to give him something to see.
He then asked about the expiration date on my EAD. I referred back to what I had said about applying for EADs during the processing of my AoS application.
I then got him to hold on a few moments while I opened the Employer Manual for filling in an I-9 and quoted a part about future expiration dates on documents, and that how although a document may have an expiration date, it shouldn't be used to make a decision because it doesn't preclude continious employment authorization or that authorization will not be granted again.
He asked where I was getting this information from, and I explained what an I-9 was, and where I got the Employer Manual. He was very interested in reading this (perhaps the HR people he originally spoke to did not explain any of this to him) so I said I'd send them in an email along with a copy of my I-485 receipt.
For all I may have had a bad feeling when this issue was first raised in the actual interview, after this phone call I had a good feeling. From the questions that he asked me, and the fact he told me I only got 1/2 of a question wrong on the apptitude test that I had to complete, I got the feeling that he was trying to understand the process so he could justify the hiring of me to his boss who may be having an issue with my status.
I asked him why he thought it was all being an issue, and he explained that they had been some problems in the past when the agency had sponsored someone to come and work for them. I tried to reassure him by explaining that the agency doesn't have to involve itself in my immigration affairs at all, it's all seperate from work.
So I'm still getting a bit of a run-around for the job, but I now feel a bit better about the situation. However, I've also had interviews for 2 other good jobs, so this may be all for naught. At the very least I'll have educated someone on what's right and wrong in terms of immigrant employment.
#18
Re: State Employement - Interpretation Needed
Great news that you are still on top of it! I hope they figure out their error soon and snatch you up plus a hiring bonus.
The other person I was telling you about just posted this news:
OK UPDATE-
Today the HR Manager told me she had read the info i had given her, & also the Employers handbook and found i was right!!
her exact words were.........."A, you were RIGHT, and i can't apologise enough,we are realy sorry we put you through this, and thank you for pointing us in the right direction, sorry"
she called the regional HR lady & told her i was right too!
Her case was regarding reverification at the I-751 stage (not required or permitted) and she too kept everything friendly and professional, while still knowing her rights and being willing to stand up to them just a little.
The other person I was telling you about just posted this news:
OK UPDATE-
Today the HR Manager told me she had read the info i had given her, & also the Employers handbook and found i was right!!
her exact words were.........."A, you were RIGHT, and i can't apologise enough,we are realy sorry we put you through this, and thank you for pointing us in the right direction, sorry"
she called the regional HR lady & told her i was right too!
Her case was regarding reverification at the I-751 stage (not required or permitted) and she too kept everything friendly and professional, while still knowing her rights and being willing to stand up to them just a little.
#19
Twice half his height
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Central Mississississippippi
Posts: 443
Re: State Employement - Interpretation Needed
Well I've heard nothing back from the Tax Commission who originally gave me the run around, but I've since found a job with another state agency. Thankfully I didn't have to worry about any of the immigration who-har that I've recently gone through as the guy who was intervieiwing me and made the decision came across from Australia on a K3 visa, so he knows what the score is.
Having that understanding made the job seem a little more appealing than the other one. That and the 14 hours vacation per month.
Thanks for the advice so far.
Having that understanding made the job seem a little more appealing than the other one. That and the 14 hours vacation per month.
Thanks for the advice so far.
#20
Re: State Employement - Interpretation Needed
I'm a State Employee (granted not Mississippi) , and got the job as a conditonal green card holder, with absolutely no immigration fuss - they did ask for a photocopy of my Green Card tho when hiring, and that was it.
A lot of State Gov agencies ask folk for criminal background checks, so thats nothing new. You can usually get a State job without citizenship, aprt from a few like your States Homeland Security folk or suchlike....
A lot of State Gov agencies ask folk for criminal background checks, so thats nothing new. You can usually get a State job without citizenship, aprt from a few like your States Homeland Security folk or suchlike....