Refused a reference

Uncertain

This is yet another example of fear out of all proportion to the risk!

Some companies have indeed introduced this policy because they are concerned that they may be held liable should a member of staff put something in a reference that was untrue.

This can cause all kinds of problems for an ex employee if a potentional employer jumps to the wrong conclusion (as have several poster above). Sadly the companies with this sort of policy have covered their own back and couldn't give a **** about anybody else.

brightonman123

could ask manager for personal reference..?

ohreally

Ask to see the policy, afetr all it should be readily available if it exists.

maninthestreet

Uncertain wrote: »

This is yet another example of fear out of all proportion to the risk!

Some companies have indeed introduced this policy because they are conceerned that they may be held liable should a member of staff put something in a reference that was untrue.

This can cause all kinds of problems for an ex employee if a potentional employer jumps to the wrong conclusion (as have several poster above). Sadly the companies with this sort of policy have covered their own back and couldn't give a **** about anybody else.

Given the litigatious nature of the society we now live in, can you blame them??

fengirl_2

It's long standing practice in the Civil Service not to give references apart from dates employed. There is no legal requirement to give them.
I wonder how much store one can set by references anyway? I have given a glowing reference to someone whom I wanted to get rid of. Also, one employer's standards might be different to anothers - what I might see as brilliant, brillaint work, another employer might see as sub-standard. It's all relative. As an employer, all I can really count on is the written applciation and how the person performed at interview, backed up by some evidence of actually having worked at previous jobs, plus maybe the amount of sick leave the person has had.

Uncertain

maninthestreet wrote: »

Given the litigatious nature of the society we now live in, can you blame them??

Yes I can!

As I said, the response is out of all proportion to the risk. As usual with this type of reaction the innocent suffer.

Welshwoofs

As far as I know, companies need only confirm the dates of employment and there's no requirement for them to give any statement on the quality of that person's work.

Quentin

Welshwoofs wrote: »

As far as I know, companies need only confirm the dates of employment ....

There is no law that employers have to even reply to any request for a reference.

Many nowadays do reply, stating dates of employment only to conclude the correspondence (rather than simply ignore the request which just leads to further follow up requests).

terra_ferma

Anihilator wrote: »

If you cant provide a reference either directly from the company or non directly through a manager your pretty screwed.

As suggested this policy is only usually used to sub standard employees were they will at most give dates etc

This is outdated, it's common practice nowadays for companies not to provide references but just factual info (dates, sickness, any disciplinary) to avoid possible legal issues.
If it's a large company with a professional HR department they will be aware of that.

Savvy_Sue

fengirl wrote: »

I have given a glowing reference to someone whom I wanted to get rid of.

I thought that had led to problems when the new employer realised what had happened!

But I agree, you can't really set much store on references. The best you can hope for is that they accurately confirm dates of employment and - if you asked the question - how much sick leave was taken.

Not to mention the fact that a poor reference from one job doesn't mean the person will be no good at the next one. We once had an 'interesting' reference arrive on the day a new colleague was late for work, and he hadn't phoned in either. His punctuality had been poor, apparently, and he had left before being asked to do so, IIRC.

When he eventually called in, he was full of apologies, there had been a burst pipe at his flat, he didn't have a phone there (and this was long before the days when nearly everyone had a mobile!) and he'd been sorting that out to minimise the damage.

And he was not at all surprised by the reference, as the previous job had not been a good 'fit'.

Ours, however, was an excellent 'fit' and he did a grand job.