Employment References

SevenOfNine

Apologies - found the answer but can't delete whole thread. https://www.gov.uk/work-reference

Employer is implementing a blanket 'no reference' ban. Personally couldn't care less but others bothered by this so just checking if they could. Answer appears to be 'yes'.

TELLIT01

Nobody can be forced to provide references. In that situation I would think the best a staff member could do would be to print off any written statement from the company which states that references will not be given to any staff.

Undervalued

TELLIT01 wrote: »

Nobody can be forced to provide references. In that situation I would think the best a staff member could do would be to print off any written statement from the company which states that references will not be given to any staff.

Actually there are certain regulated occupations where an employer is obliged to provide a reference. In most cases though, what you say is correct.

Ozzuk

Might be worth checking what they are actually banning. If by reference they mean they won't provide information around role, performance etc but HR will still provide a statement that says employee worked there between x and y date then there is likely no real issue and a common policy.

[Deleted User]

We have "letter of employment confirmation" supplied on last day, no references are supplied where I am currently. Though I have started to wonder what happens if say an employee as a tenant needed an employment reference that are also often asked for.

SevenOfNine

They've said no references will be given at all, not even confirmation of employment dates &/or job title - seems unreasonably extreme! I suppose it might be possible to insist they put that in writing though.

TBH doesn't affect me (I'd be packing in working altogether), but younger staff have a right to be a bit concerned I think. As has been pointed out, some potential employers insist on a reference.

Thanks for answers.

nyermen

Out of interest, do they require references as part of their own incoming employment process?

ohreally

nyermen wrote: »

Out of interest, do they require references as part of their own incoming employment process?

Their brass neck would need polishing if that’s the case.

Undervalued

SevenOfNine wrote: »

They've said no references will be given at all, not even confirmation of employment dates &/or job title - seems unreasonably extreme! I suppose it might be possible to insist they put that in writing though.

TBH doesn't affect me (I'd be packing in working altogether), but younger staff have a right to be a bit concerned I think. As has been pointed out, some potential employers insist on a reference.

Thanks for answers.

Unless it is a regulated occupation where there is a legal requirement you can't "insist" they put anything in writing!

You can ask but there is no redress open if they simply ignore you.

steampowered

Is the policy to provide no reference at all or simply no detailed reference?

Many large companies now only provide simple references confirming the dates of employment and job title.

It would be pretty unusual to not get at least that.

tommytynan123

When I left the Civil Service few years back all they would do is confirm job and dates. I got around that by putting a similar level manager, who I worked with regularly, as a ''professional reference''. Another option is to produce your appraisals (if they do appraisals and they are good!)