What? Hiring is a contract between employer (company entity) and employee. No individual "you" can hire anybody except through the company's official process. If HR says "no we won't extend an offer," a lowly HM extending an offer would be clear-cut fraud.

Managers usually have the authority to bind the company to an employment contract. Even if they don't, the rule of "apparent authority" often means the employee can still sue.

In the USA this is mostly theoretical since HR could immediately fire the employee due to at-will employment.

But in Canada, it's a much bigger issue due to labour protections.

e.g. Many managers at American multinationals gave assurances over email to employees about work-from-home arrangements. Then the company does a huge RTO push.

When the employee refuses, HR discovers they can't fire the employee without a hefty buyout.

Best not to give assurances if you're managing a multinational team.

>>Managers usually have the authority to bind the company to an employment contract

Is that an American thing? I've been a manager for years and never heard of that happening. I didn't even know how much the people I managed were paid.

I believe it happens more often in Canada. Here's a case where the RTO ultimatum was ruled constructive dismissal, because the manager made a verbal agreement to amend the terms of employment.

https://mathewsdinsdale.com/employers-advisor-march-2025/#:~...

I meant what would have happened - and to whom - if HR had greenlighted the offer, but others' posts pretty much clarified that for me, thanks.