Need advice- DH was let go from job, what can/should he say...

Karenin

DH was let go today. He is a consultant in big four accounting and we moved for my job. He has been with this new firm 9 months but was hired for one specific account. Everything was going really well, but then two weeks ago his manager (who Dh had never liked and worried did not like him) said he was unhappy with some performance things. There was no formal improvement plan etc., but DH tried to address the concerns but the manager never commented after that one conversation on how thing were going and DH was told today he was done at the firm because he was hired for this account and the manager on that account no loner wants to work with him. It turns out his  old firm has an opening in our new city (they had no openings here when we moved), so he wants to reach out to his old boss to see if he can get considered for the job. Our question is, what will his firm say/what can he say about being let go? I want him to be able to say he was hired for one account and they no longer needed him for that account so he was let go. He is going to follow up with HR now to ask what they would say if asked but neither of us has even been fired before and so I don't know what is typical in these situations. Anyone with any knowledge or advice? I just don't want his career to be poisoned by this. 

CopperLane

This isn't an end of the world situation. My husband went through something similar and had to figure out what to say. 

Since he wants a position with a company he used to be with, then they already know his work style/ethic and that can be a shoe in for him. If his old boss recommends him for the position, even better!!! Companies let employees go all the time for a myriad of reasons, he shouldn't lie, but he also doesn't have to tell the whole story, especially if it was at will employment. 

klirwin82

HR at his old company is by law very limited with what they can say. I believe they're only allowed to confirm his job title, start/end dates and whether he's eligible to be re-hired (which is a yes unless he did something criminal or was dismissed for ethical malconduct or something). He can just tell the interviewer, if asked, they no longer needed him on the account and was laid off. Millions of people get laid off, people understand, I wouldn't worry about it. Best of luck to him!

Wigglesx2

The new company should only be able to say his title, dates of hire and end of employment and if they would hire him again. And not hiring someone again could be for any reason. My old company had a policy that if you left you couldn't be rehired, period. Even if you did a great job. 

Karenin

Thank you guys SO much! DH got rehired by his old firm, and he actually moved up a level from the position he previously had! He was honest like you all suggested, without getting into too much detail, but since he knew some of the partners at the old firm, they did not really focus on it, they more just talked about what work he had done since leaving to see what new experience he had. The firm that let him go confirmed they all they do is confirm employment dates and no other information per a company policy. HUGE RELIEF!