References

Willitwork

I have been employed by the same employer for 20 years.

They are now requesting references, the reason being, to keep their 'Safeguarding records' completely up to date.

" It would appear that for staff who were recruited some time ago,
the files show no evidence of proper references being obtained"

Am I legally obliged to provide these references after all this time?

sangie595

Willitwork wrote: »

I have been employed by the same employer for 20 years.

They are now requesting references, the reason being, to keep their 'Safeguarding records' completely up to date.

" It would appear that for staff who were recruited some time ago,
the files show no evidence of proper references being obtained"

Am I legally obliged to provide these references after all this time?

Why wouldn't you want to?

On the employers part, this seems to be closing the barn door after the horse has bolted, but it isn't an unreasonable request for you to assist then with complying with the law as it now stands - but didn't previously. Failure to comply with a reasonable request can be a disciplinary matter. failing on this matter may be an acceptable reason to dismiss you. The fact is that the law does now have significant safeguarding measures that it didn't previously, as well as some immigration measures. Employers do sometimes have to do catch up, and this doesn't seem to be an unreasonable request, albeit the last employers reference will be a tad out of date!!!

jobbingmusician

Just give them the (then) address of the place where you worked. Employers are VERY unlikely to have any records after this amount of time, but that's their (your current employer's) problem, not yours.

TELLIT01

It's up to the employer to obtain the reference. As jobbingmusician says, give them the address of the company when you worked there and leave it at that.
From a personal perspective, two of the companies I worked for in the last 20 years have closed down, so I don't know how an employer would obtain references from them.

Sarastro

I agree with advice above. Give them the dates and addresses of former employers and leave it with them to obtain references: I think they will struggle to get anything meaningful anyway.

Stylehutz

sangie595 wrote: »

Why wouldn't you want to?

On the employers part, this seems to be closing the barn door after the horse has bolted, but it isn't an unreasonable request for you to assist then with complying with the law as it now stands - but didn't previously. Failure to comply with a reasonable request can be a disciplinary matter. failing on this matter may be an acceptable reason to dismiss you. The fact is that the law does now have significant safeguarding measures that it didn't previously, as well as some immigration measures. Employers do sometimes have to do catch up, and this doesn't seem to be an unreasonable request, albeit the last employers reference will be a tad out of date!!!

Totally unreasonable to me. So they have been a reasonably good employee for 20 years or they would have got rid. No suggestions what kind of references they need. What would you suggest if an employer from 20 years ago said he was No good dismissed for stealing and a personal reference said they wouldn't trust him as far as they could throw him. You are right on one thing, the words horse, barn door and bolted spring to kind.

sangie595

Stylehutz wrote: »

Totally unreasonable to me. So they have been a reasonably good employee for 20 years or they would have got rid. No suggestions what kind of references they need. What would you suggest if an employer from 20 years ago said he was No good dismissed for stealing and a personal reference said they wouldn't trust him as far as they could throw him. You are right on one thing, the words horse, barn door and bolted spring to kind.

Well, assuming such a reference came in after 20 years, which is a leap, then I would consider the circumstances of current service, and whether the person had lied to us. And then make a decision. And I would need good grounds to dismiss because a person with 20 years service would be able to go to a tribunal.

So you think that, just because someone has 20 years service already, they shouldn't be subject to current safeguarding regulations? That sort of argument worked so well for Cyril Smith, didn't it? But I think you have missed the point anyway - it doesn't matter that you think it unreasonable. It is what it is and the OP either complies with the employers safeguarding request, or faces the consequences - and I can tell you for a fact that no tribunal is going to support an employee who has refused to comply with safeguarding requirements, no matter how long they have already been employed.

It's entirely likely that the previous employer won't even have a clue who they are. But I have assumed, unlike you, that the OP has nothing to hide and therefore nothing to worry about. It takes two minutes to provide the couple of names and addresses asked for.

AubreyMac

I wonder (you may not remember) if you provided references some 20 years ago at the time of the recruitment in current job?


My working life started nearly 20 years ago and it was the norm to provide references then.


I have heard from older people that you could get jobs easily (on your lunch break even) back then (circa 40 years ago).


Either way its best you comply.