Please delete

123helpme123

Got the info I needed - thanks

Jamie_Carter

I'm sure someone will know more about this subject. But as I understand it, it is illegal to give a bad reference. You can only refuse to give one. So it is possible that your ex employer is breaking the law.

Takeaway_Addict

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

I'm sure someone will know more about this subject. But as I understand it, it is illegal to give a bad reference. You can only refuse to give one. So it is possible that your ex employer is breaking the law.

And you'd be wrong!

You can give a bad reference as long as its factually true. As long as the ex employer is not making things up then they are doing nothing unlawful.

ILW

Has she said anything that is untrue?

McKneff

It isn't illegal to give a bad reference as long as it is true.

DKLS

Time to setup a rival agency, steal her clients and put her out of business, she obviously sees you as a threat so stop playing nice.

123helpme123

Got the info I needed - thanks

whitewing

I wouldn't worry too much if they've asked for a written reference because they perhaps feel that it is exaggerated.

coinxoperated

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paulineb_2

McKneff wrote: »

It isn't illegal to give a bad reference as long as it is true.

But you have a right to know whats been said about you in a reference and can challenge it if its untrue. A family member of mine did this and the woman who wrote it was forced to change the reference as the stuff she was saying was untrue, vindictive, damaging and could have cost my relative the job. She was applying for a second job which she got, is excellent at her main job and there was absolutely no reason to say the things in writing that she did.

I would rather refuse to give someone a reference than write them a poor reference and I have done in the past and that isnt me saying Im not capable of giving an honest reference, I am, I was asked to give a reference by a staff member who caused me a lot of problems (and she didnt just cause me them), she asked me for a reference after I got promoted but she had been off sick the majority of that time and I felt I couldnt honestly give a reference about her, one because I wouldnt have had very much positive to say about certain aspects of her work practice and two, she was hardly in the building when I was technically her manager.

However, speaking as someone who has also been dismissed in the workplace and in my view dismissed unfairly, when I was going for new jobs, I was honest about what had happened to me in the workplace, but I did not ask those employers to give me a reference and I was honest about that.

If people are vindictive and can treat you like dirt (and every dismissal case is different but some people do get treated unfairly by employers), Im certainly not going cap in hand to them asking for their opinion of me.

Its absolutely ok to give a factual reference about someone even if its mixed, but if people are lying, you certainly have a right to say your piece and you have a right to see the reference and challenge it, through a union or lawyer if necessary.

Tenyearstogo

coinxoperated wrote: »

Ok, this is the plan moving forward.

I've got another job I could start Monday, which I have now told the employers that offered me a job knowing all of the previous history along with the reference mess that I will be starting if they cannot confirm by the end of today should they wish me to start next week due to my financial concerns.

The company is extremely new and I just have this niggle that whatever happens and whenever I start, it will result in them having to terminate the contract because of the reference from my ex employer. My other job offer again are fully aware of the circumstances, but as its in a totally different sector, I think the ex-employer won't bother contacting them. To put it bluntly, I think that the ex-employer is scared I will be improving the other company in the same sector and put another competitor on their radar.

I am so disheartened and angry that she has been non-factual about my work standards.

Out of interest, if the reference my ex-employer provides in wirting does end up in my job offer being withdrawn, should I ask for a copy of the reference? If the ex-employer has stated that it cannot be shared with me, is there anyway I can find out exactly what was stated in writing? Such as requesting a copy from my ex-employers HR department or similar? How can I prove that the ex-manager has been non-factual if I can't see what was written?

Thanks

You can get a copy of your reference sent I believe. You can ask for all the records they have on you, but may have to pay. Someone more knowledgable will know what info to quote.