Verbal employment job offer?

Al was given a verbal start date for sales position, along with salary plan that was negotiated, vehicle offer of which vehicle he wanted,and all other benefits.Dates to a sales seminar out of state for training. Both parties agreed and job offer was accepted. Contract was being writen.
Al gave a customary 2 week notice to his current company and end date, the next day the new company said that he was denied because he had put on his resume that he was Rookie of the Year in sales for 2005. The new company contacted the old company which in fact said they no longer had that program (discounted the year before) but that in fact he was thier top Rookie sales person, just no program.
The new company said he flasified and was denied job.
Al is now out of job.
1.Any legal recouse.
2. They had resume 3 weeks.
3. He has a telephone recording advising him the job was his.
4. Prior Co.gave negative reference.
5. Hardship,now current employer may not keep his position.
Seek Attorney?

If the information on the resume is incorrect, that has long been held to be adequate grounds for termination.

If you are in an employment at will state then a contract was formed when there was agreement as to duties and salary.

The negative resource is meaningful only if:

1. it wasn't true and you could prove that, and

2. you could prove that the negative reference was the sole cause of him not getting or losing the job.

I read this as Al was hired, but fired before he started work because of an inaccuracy on his resume. I see no legal recourse if that is the case.

Attorney, yes. Be sure to check into the laws for employment in your state.

No real recourse, where did this occur, was this a right to work state?
Since the contractual offer included money, a written contract would be required.
Also the hiring company probably has a document that says lying on an application could be grounds for dismissal.

Did he put the prior company as a reference, or was it just a check of employment. What was involved in the negative reference, was it slanderous?

In that case I would argue that the resume content was esentially correct , merely expressed badly and that a firm job offer had been made after sufficient time had elapsed for references to be checked.

The telephone recording is probably unlawful.

I'd be prepared to see it argued before a jury .