Employment references and the law
Human Resource Management International Digest
ISSN: 0967-0734
Article publication date: 13 October 2014
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine whether employers are bound to provide references on former employees and the kinds of information they should contain.
Design/methodology/approach
It arrives at a set of conclusions through considering case law in England and Wales.
Findings
It explains why writing a reference is increasingly the responsibility of human-resource specialists in an organization.
Practical implications
It reveals that employers have a number of options, the choice between which will depend upon the organization’s aversion to risk and its balancing of the obligations felt to employees and their future employers.
Social implications
It considers that, in an increasingly risk-averse culture, more and more organizations are providing minimal information in references on former employees and avoiding value judgments.
Originality/value
It considers the state of the law in England and Wales as regards writing references on former employees.
Keywords
Citation
Mustafa, E. (2014), "Employment references and the law", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 22 No. 7, pp. 39-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/HRMID-10-2014-0143
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited