Job References

[sasha011]

Hi,

Does anyone know what a previous employer can say about you on a reference. Can they give you a bad reference? and what does a future employer do if they received a bad reference?

[Postdog]

It won't happen, simple as that.

[buildersmate]

What the employer cannot do is to give an untruthful reference.
Frankly there are hundreds of ways of an employer signalling by use of a reference that the employee was a complete cretin. For example, 'All I am willing to confirm about this employee is that they were employed as a xyz since January 2005.'

[mollykins]

my teacher said that its often what an employer doesn't say that tells people what they are really like.

so saying all about stuff how they are punctual, tidy, well manered may mean that they don't get much done but are nice as a person.

[mollykins]

I do't know if that was a very good example but i hope you know what i mean.

[mollykins]

Because in my example, the employer would have said that the person was hard working/ an efficient worker but they didn't but also didn't say they were lazy.

[suzie1]

it will happen and it does!they do give bad references if you were bad...i was and i got an awful reference and i stillgot the job. this was several years ago and im working somewhere else now. employers can withdraw the job offer if they have already offered youthe job subject to references. or in my case hear your side of the story and cut you some slack best of luck

[mosesg]

I filled in a reference recently and it was a form where you just had to tick boxes so didn't get to write anything about the person

[Thunderchild]

if your a good worker you have nothing to worry about, I don't know your position but I'm happy for a prospective employer to get references, I've often not got a job because I was not qualified although adaptable and hard working but they would never beleive me. then i went to work for a comoany through an agency as a temp and they got rid of me when there were redundancies but apparantly the works manager was on the phone begging the agency to get hold of me when they needed a QC inspector (something I am not qualified for although seem to have an aptitude for and I'm learning fast). OK in this case it was because the company already knew me but they would have certainly highly recomended me to another employer had they been contacted

[S_C]

An employer is Not allowed to give a Bad refrance , however there is more than one way to do this and stay with the law as has been stated perviously here.
An employer isnt even bound to give you a refrance and can refuse to do so.
However a refrance can be given by Anyone who worked with you in your previous company " so if you feel the manager will give a bad refrance choose someone else , it would be recommended to use someone who was of higher position than you were though say your supervisor " do make sure they agree to give you a refrance before placing their name forward.