Best Response to Resume Fraud: Defiance or Apology?

As previously noted (here and here), the controversy surrounding Richard Blumenthal’s run for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut provides the basis for considering what employers are sometimes faced with considering: resume fraud. It doesn’t appear that the controversy will end soon, so maybe more lessons about the subject are yet to come. Blumenthal did receive his party’s nomination this past weekend.

At the Democratic convention where he was nominated, while saying again that he had misspoken and made mistakes in the past, Blumenthal seemed to assume a somewhat defiant position. He entered to Tom Petty’s I Won’t Back Down and said, “I will never be intimidated, I will never back down.” To be fair, like Blumenthal’s comments about his previous military service, his convention demeanor and statements are subject to different interpretations.

Subsequently, his campaign released a more conciliatory statement, finally saying specifically that he was sorry for not being clear about his military record, particularly when he appeared before veterans groups. Blumenthal’s situation is quite strange and demonstrates that resume fraud isn’t as clear-cut as it might seem. He sometimes clearly told the truth and sometimes clearly didn’t. His party didn’t find enough of a problem with his inconsistent statements to deny him the nomination. Whoever his Republican opponent is won’t be as forgiving. The voters of Connecticut will make the final decision in November.

When an employer is confronted with possible resume fraud, it’s important to get all the facts. It’s fair for an employer to take into account the employee’s reaction to the accusation. An apology usually works better than defiance, especially if made early and in the context of an explanation that helps thwart an intention to mislead. Fraud is a serious word, so employers need to obtain legal advice once the facts have been gathered and the employee’s attitude evaluated.