Angiulo: Resume Inflation- Short Term Gains + Long Term Problems

Monday, December 16, 2013

Leonardo Angiulo, GoLocalWorcester Legal Contributor

There are certain occasions when our collective consciousness, and by that I mean that portion of the globe that watches television, pauses for a moment. We generally wonder aloud: What in blue blazes is going on here? I submit to you that one of those moments was when the world questioned if the sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's funeral was legitimate. Was he a legitimate sign interpreter is a question for the ages, one that certainly will not be answered here. That the question exists at all, however, raises some important issues with legal implications.

Lying, for the most part, is not a crime. Is it in bad taste? Sure. Will it get you a bad reputation? Yup. Does it hurt people's feelings? Well, that depends on the lie. There are, however, some important situations where lying is actually a crime. Take lying under oath, like when you are a witness at a trial. That's what we in the business call “perjury.” The legislature, and our common law tradition, treat statements on the witness stand very seriously. In fact, it's almost as if the Ninth Commandment from the Judeo-Christian tradition should read “Thou shalt not bear false witness at the Worcester Superior Courthouse.”

While there are some situations where written assertions may become the basis for perjury charges, lying on your resume probably isn't covered by the perjury statute. Those circumstances are typically limited to official records for governmental agencies like here, here, and in letters home to your mom. Just kidding about the letters home part. The practical reality is that while it may not be a crime to add things to your resume to better your chances of getting hired, it's not a good strategy. In the long run it just might get you in some legal trouble.

An example of this is if you want to work for a landscaping company, claim to be fully licensed to operate machinery like a skid-steer, but “technically” don't have your hoisting operators license. Your lies are going to catch up to you pretty quickly if a state inspector shows up and issues you a citation for improper operation of a machine. In fact, not only are you going to have a hefty fine, but your employer will likely have a hard time trusting your word after that.

Another example of lies in the workplace that can have significant consequences is the case of Ms. Annie Dookhan. You remember her; she was the one who faked documentation on drug lab tests for use in criminal prosecutions. Now, if some people faked documentation like a time card or something at work, the worst that might occur is a criminal charge for larceny as a result of getting paid for working overtime that never happened. A particular type of line is crossed, however, once you start affirmatively misleading investigators or filing false official reports as a part of the government you're in a whole other world of hurt.

Similarly, let's say you want to be a sign language interpreter for a government agency, but don't “technically” know how to sign any languages. If you fake documentation, or claim to have certifications you don't have, you may not get found out until you go on international television at the funeral of an international human rights figure. And even then, you might not be prosecuted, but people may not look at you the same again.

Leonardo Angiulo is an Attorney with the firm of Glickman, Sugarman, Kneeland & Gribouski in Worcester handling legal matters across the Commonwealth. He can be reached by email at [email protected].

Angiulo: Resume Inflation- Short Term Gains + Long Term Problems

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