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Bad reference
ACDC1978
Posts: 52 Forumite
Hi all,
Bit of a long-winded one but will keep it as short as I can... I left employment back in May to work part-time from home and part-time as an electrician. Recently I applied for a job I really wanted, had to have 2 separate interviews with both the area manager and the store manager. I was told they were both pleased with me and would pursue references, the area manager called me yesterday to tell me that one of my references had come back unsatisfactory but he was willing to overlook it provided I could guarantee him that I'd be 100% committed to the job, which of course I assured him I would! I received a call from the manager today telling me he was putting a contract together etc and did I want to pop in sometime next week to meet the staff and get my office in order before starting on 3rd Sept. Now my problem is, when I left my previous employment my boss said he was very sad to see me go and if I needed anything at all to contact him immediately, he also said he'd never given a reference for anyone who'd left previously (the majority of those who were no longer there had been sacked or jumped before they were pushed). Now I find out that he's told my current boss that he'd be "opening a can of worms" if he employed me and that I was "constantly late and hard to motivate" now this wouldn't bother me, but it was all untrue and could have cost me the job I wanted!!! In almost 2 years of working there I was never late - not once, I worked with a broken foot to avoid taking time off (an injury sustained at work I might add!) and got involved in every promotional activity the store was involved in. I'm obviously very upset by this as I got on great with my ex-boss and I'm just wondering if I should let this lie as I got the job anyway, confront him about it or take further advice from CAB or some other avenue? Sorry for the long-winded story, hope I've covered everything!
Bit of a long-winded one but will keep it as short as I can... I left employment back in May to work part-time from home and part-time as an electrician. Recently I applied for a job I really wanted, had to have 2 separate interviews with both the area manager and the store manager. I was told they were both pleased with me and would pursue references, the area manager called me yesterday to tell me that one of my references had come back unsatisfactory but he was willing to overlook it provided I could guarantee him that I'd be 100% committed to the job, which of course I assured him I would! I received a call from the manager today telling me he was putting a contract together etc and did I want to pop in sometime next week to meet the staff and get my office in order before starting on 3rd Sept. Now my problem is, when I left my previous employment my boss said he was very sad to see me go and if I needed anything at all to contact him immediately, he also said he'd never given a reference for anyone who'd left previously (the majority of those who were no longer there had been sacked or jumped before they were pushed). Now I find out that he's told my current boss that he'd be "opening a can of worms" if he employed me and that I was "constantly late and hard to motivate" now this wouldn't bother me, but it was all untrue and could have cost me the job I wanted!!! In almost 2 years of working there I was never late - not once, I worked with a broken foot to avoid taking time off (an injury sustained at work I might add!) and got involved in every promotional activity the store was involved in. I'm obviously very upset by this as I got on great with my ex-boss and I'm just wondering if I should let this lie as I got the job anyway, confront him about it or take further advice from CAB or some other avenue? Sorry for the long-winded story, hope I've covered everything!
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Comments
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the old boss has put that all in writing to the new boss?0
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Let it go. If it hasn't cost you anything, the chances of legal action being successful isn't very high. And if you don't want to take legal action then there's no point in arguing over it. Concentrate on demonstarting to your new employer that they made the right decision.0
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wow, just wow. If your old boss has put false information in writing, I would have thought that was illegal.8k in 2015 Challenge ( #167)0
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No it was a verbal call, not in a letter, still shocked and bloody angry!!!0
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marybelle01 wrote: »Let it go. If it hasn't cost you anything, the chances of legal action being successful isn't very high. And if you don't want to take legal action then there's no point in arguing over it. Concentrate on demonstarting to your new employer that they made the right decision.
I see your point, but would you really want to start a new job walking on eggshells? I mean, I would feel like my boss would be watching out for every single mistake I make, based on a reference that was false.8k in 2015 Challenge ( #167)0 -
Since it was verbal, I am not sure if there is anything you can do from a legal standpoint. I personally, would probably approach my last boss and ask why I was given a negative reference. If like you say, you have perfect attendance and did your job well then I guess you deserve an explanation.8k in 2015 Challenge ( #167)0
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The worst thing is, I called my boss since we were on good terms to tell him I had applied for the job and that would it be ok if I put him as a reference (and jokingly asked if he'd be nice!) and he said it was fine and wished me good luck for the interview, why be so 2-faced? I don't understand it!0
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I see your point, but would you really want to start a new job walking on eggshells? I mean, I would feel like my boss would be watching out for every single mistake I make, based on a reference that was false.
I appreciate that - but what is it going to achieve trying to do something about it? Starting an argument with the former employer could just result in it rebounding back to the new employer. So far they are ignoring the reference. Will they decide otherwise though if it rebounds on them?0 -
wow, just wow. If your old boss has put false information in writing, I would have thought that was illegal.
Even where an employer does give a false reference, the likelihood of an individual having the means to do anything about it is minimal - the cost of such a court action would outweigh any benefit to an "average" worker.0 -
You actually said you had been told that he said this to your current boss
Who actually told you all this, your new boss? or someone else,
I would question their motives to be honest, you may be misjudging the old boss without really knowing.make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
and we will never, ever return.0
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