employment

[ipa7]

I was recently given a bad reference by my employer. This was not done in writing but done verbally. due to the reference my employer gave i was not given the job i applied for. Does my employer have a right to give a bad reference? Not all things stated were true.

[buildersmate]

An employer cannot give an untrue reference. That is not the same thing as 'bad' - that's just your perception.
Many employers will only give verbal references now because of the possibility of a come-back.
There's probably nothing you can do because there is no proff of what was said.
Have you tried giving your version of events to your prospective new employer?

[mdunn@sharpr]

It is against the law to give a bad referance!! Verbally or otherwise! your passed employer should of just refused to give on or just confirmed your work dates! I would push this further go and see citezens advice they will tall you the next step to take!

[Bev2007]

It is not at all illegal to give a bad reference, but as builders mate quite rightly says, what is said must be true.

ipa if you were late for work 4 days out of 5, and took 5 sickies a month and shouted at people so much that 3 of your colleagues complained then, yes, your previous employer might give you a bad, but perfectly true reference.

But of course Im sure you arent like that at all! The fact that you think some of what was said was untrue means that someone must have told you the contents of the conversation - who was this? As buildersmate says, your best bet is to put an alternative explanation forward to your 'new' employer in as nice a manner as possible.

[buildersmate]

Nonsense, MDunn