Civil Service giving references

Kynthia

It's worth her trying. References are basic ones from central HR and even though I'm not exactly civil service, but am working somewhere similar, the reference doesn't give performance details. Staff aren't allowed to give work references and can only give a personal one, so if she wants some she worked for to give a personal one it could be a previous manager (but they might not want to due to the rules about references) as she doesn't have to give her last manager.

Adereterial

Having been a manager in the civil service...

If I received a reference request directed to me I had to forward it to HR. If the reference had asked for more than just dates of employment, performance markings and sick leave, then I'd normally get an email asking me to comment, or if not, I'd get an email for me to confirm that I hadn't just started any kind of performance or misconduct proceedings.

If you're still employed by the CS, there should be guidance on your intranet on how reference requests are handled. You normally have to give your permission in writing so if you've not done that, you'll need to send a letter or fill out a form confirming you're happy for HR to release details of your employment.

Andy_L

BigAunty wrote: »

So is it the case that if you direct an employer to contact the Civil Service HR, they will receive a basic reference but if you direct them to the current line manager, the employer will receive a personal, more detailed one?

Not really. If the manager is prepared to give a reference in a personal capacity (and in their own time) then it will contain only what they can be bothered to put in. Unless they are a personal friend outside of work its likely they will bother and instead direct it to HR.

There's a, probably apocryphal, story about a CS who was dismissed, received a glowing reference from his manager who was a friend which was then used in evidence in an unfair dismissal case: which is why they banned managers from writing references

doodlechops

Nope, squeaky clean but I need some more meat on the bones of my reference and wondered what the regular one looked like Oh and my line manager has left so I can't go that route.

doodlechops

Thank you, I was a line manager too but I had to direct all requests via Employee Services in the first instance. I only ever added to this in a personal capacity. 30 years service and only a few factual comments looks a bit sad.

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

I would imagine the problem with the Civil Service is that it's a big organisation and people move around; therefore it would be quite common for nobody in a position to be writing the reference to know the individual or have access to anything except their personnel file. So I wouldn't worry about it.

Nobody expects glowing references these days anyway. Anything that doesn't actively say you've been sacked for thieving is as good as any company expects. They don't make offers based on references; they just use them to possibly withdraw offers in extreme circumstances. A lot of people still put far too much stock on them but they are thinking of a bygone era.

Adereterial

It would appear to depend on your department... The request to add more detail was routine if it was asked for, I did several of them over a period of time. I'd often get the request for detail and a final check along with a form for my team member to sign giving permission for a reference to be released.