What to Do When an Employee Lies on Their Resume
You hired someone based in part on qualifications they represented on their resume, and you have just discovered those representations were not accurate. Before you react, you need to assess the situation carefully. Not all resume inaccuracies are the same, and your response should be proportionate to what actually happened.
Assess the Nature of the Misrepresentation
Resume inaccuracies exist on a wide spectrum. Before taking any action, understand specifically what was misrepresented:
Inflated job title: 'manager' instead of 'senior associate' — minor and common
Exaggerated responsibilities: taking credit for team accomplishments — minor to moderate
Falsified employment dates: hiding a gap — moderate to significant
Claimed degree not earned — significant
Falsified credential or license required for the role — serious and potentially legally significant
Fabricated employment that did not exist — serious
The severity of your response should match the severity of the misrepresentation. An inflated title that had no bearing on your hiring decision is different from a falsified credential that was a requirement for the role.
Verify Before You Act
Before taking any disciplinary or termination action, verify the inaccuracy. Confirm through background check, direct contact with the institution, or official records. Acting on an assumption that turns out to be wrong creates its own set of problems.
Have a Direct Conversation First
For misrepresentations that are not immediately disqualifying, have a direct conversation with the employee before making a decision. There are sometimes legitimate explanations. Sometimes it’s a matter of a title that was informal but accurate, a degree program completed but not officially conferred, or a gap that was undisclosed for personal reasons.
Present what you found specifically and ask the employee to explain. Listen to the response before making a decision.
Your Options
Option 1: Continue employment with documentation
For minor inaccuracies that did not affect your hiring decision and do not affect the employee's ability to do the job, you may choose to document the finding and move forward. Note the discrepancy in the personnel file and what was determined about its significance.
Option 2: Termination for misrepresentation
For significant misrepresentations, particularly falsified credentials required for the role, fabricated employment, or inaccuracies that would have disqualified the candidate had you known, termination is appropriate. The basis is the misrepresentation itself, not performance.
In your written termination documentation, state the specific misrepresentation, the specific representations made during the hiring process, and the specific discrepancy between those representations and the verified reality.
Need help documenting a termination for misrepresentation?
Our Termination Checklist & Separation Policy Template includes the exact documentation language and step-by-step separation process for this scenario.
Going Forward: Prevent It
Conduct background checks after extending offers but wait to have the employee start until their background check comes back satisfactory
Verify degrees and credentials directly with the issuing institution for roles where they are required
Include a statement in your offer letter that employment is contingent on the accuracy of application representations and that misrepresentation is grounds for immediate termination
Include a statement in your employee handbook that misrepresentation is grounds for termination
Want to prevent this from happening again?
The same template includes offer letter language, handbook policy wording, and background check guidance to protect you before this ever happens.
Questions about this or other HR topics? Visit pragmatichrgroup.com for more resources.
