Dear Cindy – After a HIPAA-Related Firing …

What is best advice for moving forward after a HIPAA-related termination?

Sincerely,

Fired

The best thing to do is to learn from the mistake and move on.

When asked the typical interview question, "Why did you leave your last job?", explain briefly what happened, demonstrate an understanding of why what you did was wrong (e.g., it invaded the individual's privacy, it could have opened you and/or your employer up to civil and criminal penalties), and assure the interviewer that such a thing will never happen again. Even if you feel that your employer was unreasonably harsh in firing you rather than reprimanding you, an interview for a new job is not the place to express this opinion and debate the issue.

Also find out if you are eligible for a reference, despite having been fired. If your work was otherwise good, you will probably still be eligible for a reference, which will help in your job search.

Good luck.