Editor’s Note: Every Monday, Jeff Allen offers you a tip about what you should do to ensure you never miss out — or get beat out — of your well-earned fee.
It wasn’t a “bona fide job order.”
There’s no such thing as a “bona fide job order.” It just sounds legitimate – in fact, “bona fide!” Back when employment agencies were regulated, it meant something. Here’s an example from the former California Professional and Vocational Regulations PVR 2859):
A bona fide job order may be considered to have been given [if] the employer or his agent, in person, by telephone, telegram or in writing, registered a request that the agency recruit, or gives permission to the agency to refer applicants for employment who meet stated job specifications.
The accents change from state to state, but the words mean the same thing: Nothing.
All a client needs is to deny that it gave you a JO. The 45 minutes you spent discussing the job doesn’t count. Clearing the fee with everyone in the hiring process doesn’t either. In regulated states, you can lose your license too. It won’t cost the client a nickel (unless it pays bona fide taxes).
If you need a license to place, be sure to get the employers signature, a return acknowledgement, or whatever your state requires.
But if you’re in an unregulated jurisdiction (and you probably are), go for a bona fide fee!
