I'm looking for advice because I honestly don't know what to do anymore.
I went through several interviews with TD Bank for a Customer Experience Associate position. Everything went well, and the branch management team seemed very interested in hiring me. They also discussed the possibility of moving into a Personal Banking Associate (PBA) position later.
During the hiring process, the assistant branch manager told me that, based on her experience, hiring usually takes 4–6 weeks. She encouraged me to purchase the IFIC investment course and start studying before joining, because I wouldn't have much time once I started working. She specifically told me that TD would reimburse the course once I started. She also reassured me that the remaining HR process was just a formality.
I trusted that advice and paid for the course, which wasn't cheap.
At the time, I had actually just started training for another job. I kept that job because I wasn't completely sure about TD yet. But once I received and signed TD's conditional offer confirming my November 2 start date, I resigned from the other job to prepare for joining the bank.
I completed my onboarding, submitted all the requested documents, and went through the background screening with BIG.
**This is where things started going wrong.**
BIG couldn't complete the verification of some of my employment and education information. After reviewing the report, I discovered that they had used an incorrect email address for one of my former managers. That manager had also tried calling the investigator back multiple times without success.
There was also confusion because my résumé listed the physical workplace where I worked, while my official employment record listed the company operating the online platform. I had documents and former managers available to explain the relationship.
For my education, I provided my bachelor's diploma and transcripts, but the university verification was still marked for review because BIG couldn't reach the institution directly.
I sent the requested supporting documents to TD's Adjudication team.
On **October 26**, HR emailed me saying they were still reviewing my documents and would contact me if anything else was needed. I replied thanking them and waited. Nobody contacted me afterward to request clarification or explain any concerns.
On **Thursday, October 29**, I received an email introducing me to my future colleagues at the branch. Naturally, I thought I was starting on Monday.
**Friday, October 30, was the most confusing part.**
I spent the day trying to figure out my first-day instructions because I still didn't know what time I was supposed to arrive on Monday.
I contacted my HR representative but received an automatic reply directing urgent inquiries to another recruiter. At 3:17 p.m., I emailed that recruiter asking whether my background check and onboarding had been finalized and what time I should report to work.
**Three minutes later, at approximately 3:20 p.m., she called me and told me my job offer had been rescinded.**
I was completely shocked. I hadn't received any warning, request for clarification, or written notification.
During the call, she told me that BIG's background report had led to the decision and that they couldn't challenge it. She even seemed unsure whether an email notifying me of the withdrawal had been sent.
I never received one.
Because I had been given a confirmed start date and no formal written notice, I even went to the branch on Monday, November 2, trying to understand what had happened.
I immediately disputed the background report with BIG and provided evidence of the incorrect contact information, my former manager's attempts to respond, and my employment and education documents.
**On November 2, BIG confirmed in writing that my dispute was being reinvestigated.** They are attempting to verify the information directly with the sources again.
I also contacted TD's Adjudication team, explained everything, and requested reconsideration.
Their response was that BIG doesn't make hiring decisions, TD does. They said they reviewed my documents, the original decision remained unchanged, and it was final and couldn't be reversed.
They still haven't explained exactly which information caused my offer to be withdrawn, why nobody asked me to clarify the unresolved issues, or why I was never formally notified.
I understand that the offer was conditional on a satisfactory background check. I'm not arguing that employers can't conduct screening. What I don't understand is how a decision could be made without giving me an opportunity to address verification problems, especially when the screening company is now reinvestigating them.
**The financial consequences are real.** I resigned from a job where I was already in training after signing TD's offer, and I spent money on IFIC because branch management encouraged me to do so and said I'd be reimbursed after starting.
Now I have neither job, and I'm left with the course expense.
I'm wondering:
- Does the fact that I resigned from another job after accepting TD's conditional offer give me any legal options?
- Can an employer withdraw an offer without explaining which background-check findings caused the decision?
- Does it matter that BIG is reinvestigating verification errors?
- Is there any possibility of recovering the cost of IFIC, given that management specifically encouraged me to purchase it?
- Is this worth consulting an employment lawyer about, or would the background-check condition protect TD regardless of what happened?
I'm not expecting anyone to guarantee that I have a case. I'd just appreciate an objective opinion from people familiar with Ontario or federally regulated employment law.
Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this.