I believe past employers cannot share info with each other regarding problem employees either for fear of lawsuits.
Yet another symptom of what's wrong with our society. The bullies have won.
“I believe past employers cannot share info with each other regarding problem employees either for fear of lawsuits.”
No problem revealing that he was fired for cause.
But it is not illegal or against the law to share such info. It may arise to a civil tort, but not to a crime. Not sharing info is just good business sense in this most litigious of countries.
You can share facts (”he was terminated for excessive absences”) as long as there is no prohibition written into a separation agreement. Where former employers can get into trouble is sharing subjective opinions (”he didn't get along well with co-workers”) that are not backed up by contemporaneously written, objective documentation and that could be construed as libelous.