Reference letter - could disclaimers be alarming to potential employers?

Masha_2

I am aware that nowadays the usual policy is to provide factual reference only. but I am unsure whether disclaimers of the example below could be alarming to a new employer. 

".... I confirm that [employee name] started employment with ABC on [date] and left our employment on [date] He/She was employed as a [Job] and performed her duties to a satisfactory standard.

 It is our policy only to provide references containing information as to employees' roles and dates of employment. This should not be seen as implying any comment about the candidate or their suitability for employment.

This reference is given to the addressee in confidence and only for the purposes for which it was requested. It is given in good faith, and on the basis of the information available to the employer at the time it is given, but neither the writer nor ABC accepts any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage caused to the addressee or any third party as a result of any reliance being placed on it."

This is a suggested letter to agree to settle with my company which I am not fully happy about the disclaimer. I had suggested a less alarming one copied from a settlement template, but they are insisting on this. Also I am not sure about the sentence about performance, given that it appears it contradicts the next paragraph about policy, I initially suggested it including the word professionalism and only stating as policy that they provide basic employment information only. 

Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Many thanks

FlorayG

That's perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. References are pretty meaningless these days, they just say that yes, you worked there

LightFlare

A bit of background might be useful.

im getting hints of “there’s more to this”

Andy_L

Some people, who don't understand how job references work these days, might think that a reference that just said

"I confirm that [employee name] started employment with ABC on [date] and left our employment on [date] He/She was employed as a [Job] and performed her duties to a satisfactory standard."

was a coded way of saying "they were well dodgy - run a mile"

but putting in the disclaimer of "that's how we do all references" it tries to stop that conclusion

Undervalued

Masha_2 said:

I am aware that nowadays the usual policy is to provide factual reference only. but I am unsure whether disclaimers of the example below could be alarming to a new employer. 

".... I confirm that [employee name] started employment with ABC on [date] and left our employment on [date] He/She was employed as a [Job] and performed her duties to a satisfactory standard.

 It is our policy only to provide references containing information as to employees' roles and dates of employment. This should not be seen as implying any comment about the candidate or their suitability for employment.

This reference is given to the addressee in confidence and only for the purposes for which it was requested. It is given in good faith, and on the basis of the information available to the employer at the time it is given, but neither the writer nor ABC accepts any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage caused to the addressee or any third party as a result of any reliance being placed on it."

This is a suggested letter to agree to settle with my company which I am not fully happy about the disclaimer. I had suggested a less alarming one copied from a settlement template, but they are insisting on this. Also I am not sure about the sentence about performance, given that it appears it contradicts the next paragraph about policy, I initially suggested it including the word professionalism and only stating as policy that they provide basic employment information only. 

Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Many thanks

In many cases, maybe so. However full references are still the norm in some industries.

If a "factual reference only" is normal in your line of work then I see no problem with the disclaimer, In any case there is only so much you can do and it is usually fairly easy to read between the lines and know (or at least suspect) that there is a settlement / COT3 involved. And that is before the informal chat in the pub.....

TELLIT01

Nothing to worry about with that reference.  Pretty much standard practice now to avoid any comeback from ex-employee or new employer.  There is nothing to stop the potential employer contacting the current or former one for an 'off the record' chat.

It's when you get comments like "I feel sure you will hold them in as high regard as we have", or similar that alarm bells may start ringing.

Masha_2

Thanks a lot for your comments. I was thinking that is the norm. I would have liked a less elaborated \disclaimer. 
May be better take out the phrase "and performed her duties to a satisfactory standard." ?
Thank you!

Hoenir

Masha_2 said:

and performed her duties to a satisfactory standard.

That's the base requirement of anybody performing the role that the are employed to do. As a new employer I would ask for a reference directly from the old employer. 

Nothanks

I don’t see anything to worry about there. 

Masha_2

Thanks a lot for your comments.