Bad references

[hammerman]

Hi. My wife has been offered a good job as a senior care co-ordinator for the elderly. It's a massive step up with a new company and we're all really excited.
She handed her notice in with her former employers and gave one months notice as per her contract. Her previous employer didn't like this and shouted and swore at her (she's been absolutely evil for the two years my wife has worked there) so my wife, by now shaking and in floods of tears went to the Drs to be signed off for a week.
The Dr said "i really know how bad it is at that place" and signed her off for the whole month.

Now, my wife's new employers have received "an awful reference" from her old employers and the new position "may be in jeopordy".

Now my wife has done nothing wrong, she has worked damn hard for very little reward or thanks and now gets this. The new employers will not allow my wife to see the reference because of confidentiality and they said "we MIGHT be able to pick one or two good points out" to employ her.

What on earth can we do.....she has no job to go to at the moment and a former employer bad mouthing her (in writing).

Please help

Andy

[baileybird]

you poor things
It is so unfair when you work hard and try your best.

i am sure the truth will out

i dont know anything about where you stand on this, but i have worked for some one equally as awful, and I am sure if and when I apply for another job the same may happen.

good luck

[hammerman]

Thanks for you kind words baileybird and for the superb links zacsmaster.

Things have moved very quickly in the past few hours and i've spoken to a mate who's a solicitor specialising in family and employment law....letters are winging their way to this cow as we speak with a request for my wife's personal file (which should include a copy of references received and sent) under the freedom of information act

My wife aslo has spoken to a few former employers who would be willing to give glowing references.

I'll let you know how things go but again, thanks....your advice etc was most useful

[gardener2]

As an employer I never give a bad reference,it can open a can of worms. The worst we ever say is 'please phone for information on this person'. The recipient usually gets the message without phoning!.

[hammerman]

Thanks but things aren't looking too promising at the moment. Luckily, my best man is also a solicitor in employment law and has written to my wife's former employers asking to see her personal file under the freedom of information act which should include a copy of the reference and an appraisal (a good one) that she had recently.

On the down side, my wife has no job as yet, she turned down about 4 jobs when she was given this one, we bought her a car at the weekend because she would need one for this job and she went out and spent a fortune on new clothes for the job too.

The money we spent on the car and clothes was money we couldn't really afford and if she loses this job, we might be faced with the choice of either feeding the family or losing our house because money is that tight.

[Suetheramble]

If she was that bad why would a firm hold on to her for 2 years?

[hammerman]

Suetheramble....she owns the company i'm afraid...she hires and fires who she likes but doesn't like it when her staff leave....especially good staff like my wife. She's done it many times before and we're currently asking a few ex-employees if they could write a letter explaining that my wife's ex employers are the spawn of saturn.

Zacmaster. The initial job offer included a 3 month trial or probationary period. My wife phoned the new company up today and told her of her intentions with the solicitor and they weren't impressed....possibly another nail in the coffin. The new employers have now said "well the reference wasn't bad but there are a few concerns we need to talk about" and they need to get permission from her previous employer to get permission.

What this evil cow has put in there i do not know but i'm not holding out much hope. The trouble is, now if she goes for another job in the same field, they will also want a reference from her former employers.

It was reported that one decent ex employee that left was told that she will black list her from every single care home in Sussex and she will never work in that line again....what a f*****g witch !!!

Thanks for your help....i will keep you posted.

Andy

[hammerman]

Suetheramble...sorry, i just re-read your post and i mis-quoted it above. I see what you mean now and totally agree.