Can an employer look for additional references 4 years later?

Looleen

Hi All,

Just hoping someone can offer some advice here:

A close friend of mine has been employed privately in the carer profession for many many years now and is with their current employer for over 4 years.

Recently the company had an audit and all the staff (from new recruits to those there over 6 years) were ordered to get new uniforms (at their own expense) and were given out handbooks etc that they had not been given before to read over should they be asked any questions by the inspectors and also had a series of courses to complete before the audit..

After the audit, there was a staff meeting and a member of the audit team (inspector) addressed all management and staff.
He noted that staff members did not have more than 2 references nor did they have a certificate of competence from their GP to undertake such work as a carer.

So my friend and her colleagues who work in this establishment for at least 4 years of continued service, have to go back and get the additional references and certificate of competence from their GPs to continue doing the job that they have been doing succcessfully for the past number of years!

This to me sounds ludricous! It is the fault of the HR personnel not the employees surely!?

Are these employees obliged to provide this information? If it was me, I would refuse.

Thank you..

Trampas

auditors have to find something to report on. no matter what it is. its like if they don't find something then there has to be something wrong.

I say they probably still could. what are the chance that the people he has down for his references are gone

panda100

This is quite common in the caring profession.
Goverment bodies such as Hiqua demand refrences and medical screening for all staff. I worked in a nursing home in Dublin during college and was asked for a refrence from college as HIQUA demanded it after Id been working their for three years.
You never know when you are going to get audited so the handbook was probably just to make sure the staff could answer all questions when audited.

They shouldn't really have to pay for their own uniforms though. Thats a bit tight of the employer

jd83

Im my place (not in care or medical sector) they brought in vetting, references and 10 year work history check. So everyone who wasnt working there 10 years had to get all this done. So yes employers can ask for this.

Looleen

Thanks a mill for all your replies. I think its a pain to have to go digging for refrences now, there may not be anyone left to give a reference - people have moved on etc..

She can get the medical cert no problem, so thats something.

Thanks again everyone.