Work References

paky

Are there guidlines that must be followed when an idividual gives a propective employer permission to contact previous employers with regards to work references? The reason I am asking is because anyone could pose as a prospective employer to fraudulently gather private information about a person.

seavill

paky wrote: »

Are there guidlines that must be followed when an idividual gives a propective employer permission to contact previous employers with regards to work references? The reason I am asking is because anyone could pose as a prospective employer to fraudulently gather private information about a person.

No body giving a reference is going to give out any private information on an idividual. A reference will consist of how good were they at their job, had they a good work ethic, how was attendance, were they punctual etc.

I don't see how any of this gives out any private information that someone would be worried about

paky

seavill wrote: »

No body giving a reference is going to give out any private information on an idividual. A reference will consist of how good were they at their job, had they a good work ethic, how was attendance, were they punctual etc.

I don't see how any of this gives out any private information that someone would be worried about

What if someone exaggerated how long they worked at an establishment? wouldn't this be the type of information that would be at issue and wouldn't it be necessary for the reference to confirm this?

TonyStark

seavill wrote: »

No body giving a reference is going to give out any private information on an idividual. A reference will consist of how good were they at their job, had they a good work ethic, how was attendance, were they punctual etc.

I don't see how any of this gives out any private information that someone would be worried about

Most standards written references will be along the lines of:

Person X worked here from SomeDate to AnotherDate.


They leave themselves open to all sorts of legal slander/libel all-sorts if they put pen to paper on performance/attitude etc.

seavill

paky wrote: »

What if someone exaggerated how long they worked at an establishment? wouldn't this be the type of information that would be at issue and wouldn't it be necessary for the reference to confirm this?

Yes but I wouldnt classify this as personal information. If you have lied about something the new employer has the right to know.

As I said things like when you worked there, were you good bad, attendance, time keeping, obvious things a new employer would ask an old employer.

None of this is personal information where is the problem with any of this being discussed. What sort of private information are you referring to in your OP

Reloc8

Two different questions :-

paky wrote: »

Are there guidlines that must be followed when an idividual gives a propective employer permission to contact previous employers with regards to work references? The reason I am asking is because anyone could pose as a prospective employer to fraudulently gather private information about a person.

1. What about people posing as employers to gather private info about a person ?

paky wrote: »

What if someone exaggerated how long they worked at an establishment? wouldn't this be the type of information that would be at issue and wouldn't it be necessary for the reference to confirm this?

2. What about people who lie about their work experience ?

Two different answers :-

1. No one sensible would provide a reference to a third party without having checked with the person in respect of whom the reference is sought that its ok for them to do so. Standard practice is to furnish an authority signed by that person to the reference provider.

2. If you lie about your work experience and provide a reference who confirms that you did this then you are a lying liar who has been caught out in a lie.

Freebie :-

As has been pointed out a person providing an inaccurate reference leaves themselves open to suit by the person the subject of the reference and/or the new employer who relies on it.

krd

seavill wrote: »

No body giving a reference is going to give out any private information on an idividual. A reference will consist of how good were they at their job, had they a good work ethic, how was attendance, were they punctual etc.

No, not if you worked for scumbags. A former boss of mine gave a reference that caused me to lose a job offer. He lied and he thought it was hilarious. A friend from my old work place called me up to tell me what he'd done. The guy thought it was funny - one of these greasy paddy whack scumbags. I'm nearly certain he did it other times, it's just once I caught him red handed.

He did it to other people. Two people who I had worked with at the same job, who my scumbag of a boss had offered to referee, were told by interviewers the things he'd said in his "references". He called one guy a useless b***** and wouldn't give him a job in a shower - exact words.

Scumbags give bad references all the time.

HR people are vermin too. There's this attitude in Ireland a "we're all pals" among managers. The HR will call up your scumbag of a manager and ask for the off the record story. And this is where your smug sh*t of a former boss gives the career destroying spiel. "They were a bit of a trouble maker - didn't really fit in. A bit of a weirdo. Strange private life".

If you apply for a job. Say if you want to get away from your filth bag of a manager. Many HRs will not bother calling your references, they'll call your manager. Because they're managers and "pals" - "good people" and of course you're only scum.

If you have worked with sneaky filth bags as managers. If the HR of your company was very sleazy, you can be nearly guaranteed a bad reference - unless you had good "social skills" and were good pals with the scum.

HRs are allowed call whoever they like. And whoever they speak to can say anything they like. If it's slanderous, you have virtually no way of proving it.

seavill

I don't understand why you would put these people down as a reference or provide their details at all makes no sense.