Company history

Dr. Bernard Haldane is credited with establishing the field of career counseling in the 1940’s. He helped officers returning after the Second World War to find jobs, and in 1947 he established Bernard Haldane Associates in New York.

Haldane sold the company and the right to use his name in the early 1970’s. He died on July 21, 2002 at the age of 91.

Company structure

Haldane offices are licensed. The licensees pay a royalty fee to Bernard Haldane Associates to operate and use the company name.

The man behind the company

Jerold P. Weinger is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Bernard Haldane Associates. Weinger owns several licensed offices and serves as either an officer or director or as a shareholder in other Haldane offices.

Before taking over Haldane in the late 1980s, Weinger was the CEO of a Wall Street stockbroker company called Brooks, Weinger, Robbins and Leeds Inc.

Weinger was charged on two occasions with violations under the U.S. Securities Act and once with violations under the National Association of Securities Dealers rules of Fair Practice. In each case, Weinger agreed to sanctions without admitting or denying any of the allegations.

Legal actions

Five U.S. state consumer ministries and one Canadian province have taken steps against Haldane.

New York – 1981 – Attorney General of the State of New York Bureau of Consumer Frauds and Protection files an Assurance of Discontinuance against Bernard Haldane Associates. Haldane agrees it shall not misrepresent the number of Haldane clients who are offered or accept new position or the salaries received by such clients. Haldane agrees not to use the words “success” “help” “results” “benefit” “advancement” “achievement” and other similar words in reference to clients unless those clients accepted a new position in their first year under contract with Haldane.

Minnesota – 1984 - Bernard Haldane Associates enters into an Assurance of Discontinuance with the Attorney General of the State of Minnesota, agreeing to refrain from making any misrepresentation in connection with the sale of its services. Haldane agrees to refrain from stating that:

1. Haldane guarantees success;
2. any specified percentage of its clients find new positions or receive increased salaries unless the figure can be corroborated;
3. Haldane arranges interviews for its clients with potential employers;
4. Haldane sets up meetings between its clients and key executives of businesses;
5. a specified percentage of job openings are not advertised or can be found only by employing Haldane’s services;
6. clients are being selected or approved to be clients of Haldane.

California – 1992 – Bernard Haldane Associates agreed to refrain from:

1. representing that clients can expect to find a new job within any specified period of time;
2. representing that Haldane arranges interviews for clients with potential employers;
   representing that Haldane has job positions available;
3. representing that Haldane has contacts or provides contacts or puts clients in contact with key executives;
4. representing that a prospective client can expect to obtain a new job at any particular salary or salary range;
5. representing that Haldane selects the people who become Haldane clients.

Kansas – 2002 – Bernard Haldane Associates enters into a consent judgment with the Attorney General of Kansas. In it, Haldane agrees to avoid all deceptive and unconscionable acts and practices. And Haldane agrees to pay $300,000 as restitution to clients.

Alberta – 2002 – The Alberta Consumer Ministry investigates consumer complaints about Haldane. Six charges are laid under the Alberta Fair Trading Act. Haldane signs an undertaking agreeing to continue to avoid and refrain from making statements or suggestions about the availability of job opportunities, the setting up of interviews and providing certain salary levels unless those opportunities actually exist.

Illinois – 2003 – The State of Illinois Attorney General files a motion under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act for a temporary restraining order against Haldane. The Attorney General alleges that Haldane engages in unfair and deceptive acts or practices in violation of the Consumer Fraud Act and unless restrained will continue to engages in unfair and deceptive acts. The case is pending.