This factsheet looks at the implications of seeking and providing references and gives best practice guidelines on obtaining and providing references.
Traditionally, references are used by employers to check out job applicants with a third party, such as a previous employer. They can be used to check factual details such as length of service and responsibilities in previous jobs. They can also be used to find out about a person's previous work experience and can provide useful information about issues such as whether an employee was a good timekeeper, what their sick record was like and so on. Ideally, employers should use other selection methods first, with references only playing a small part in recruitment decision making.
There are many potential legal pitfalls when giving references, so many businesses are now only willing to supply factual information about employees to avoid legal action.
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