can someone give a bad reference for a job?

Question

an ex employer i did not see eye to eye with now has a personal grudge he is no put down for a reference but has been contacted and i think he has given a bad verbal reference

Answer 1

Only if it is provable in court. they could not claim, for instance that you are always late if they can't show time cards or something to prove it. They could only accuse of theft if there is a conviction.

Otherwise it is slander.

Answer 2

It is an unusual practice to give a bad reference. In plain English, it is just not good policy.

If an employee has under performed or has not come up to expectactions, any reference should simply say enough about the employee to alert any future employer without being rude about the employee.

In other words, saying nothing about a given aspect of an employees performance, is the same as switching on a fire alarm. Any prospective employer will pick up on what is not said rather than what is said in a reference.

Answer 3

Whilst it is possible to give a bad reference, this very rarely occurs, normally a company or person will refuse to provide a reference of will simply state your length of employment with the company. Since reference are often put in a written form if you give a bad reference and the reasons are not sound you could become involved in a slander or libel case.

Answer 4

I'm not too sure whether they can give a bad reference exactly, but they can just state the bare minimum - ie 'Yes, they worked here between x and y', then not answer anything else, from which a new employer can deduce that you were not employee of the month there.

I don't think that they can as it were, 'slag you off' in a reference in case what they say is incorrect and they can then be sued for libel but they can just not answer which amounts to the same as far as a new employer is concerned.

Answer 5

A bad reference cannot be given in the UK. A set of questions is usually asked and have to be answered truthfully. The person giving the reference cannot lie and so if you have had bad time-keeping/disciplinaries then this will usually show up on the reference

Answer 6

Depends - if some employer wants rid of you, they are more likely to give you a brilliant reference. Keep in mind, IF someone did give you a bad reference you could always claim they never liked you etc. Anyway, good luck . And don't tell future employers if you have something to hide!!

Answer 7

Anyone can write what they want in a reference, as long as it is true and accurate. It would be a very sad person who wrote a bad reference for someone without very good reason (for example, if you had been sacked for breaking the law, etc)

Answer 8

Here - US - what we do to avoid lawsuits is simply give dates of employment and positions held. We refrain from giving reasons for the individual no longer being employed.
If a prospective employer gets this - they know to stay away. If you really liked a former employee - you say so.

Answer 9

People cannot give you a bad reference, however they can refuse to give you a reference. They might word a reference in such a way that you don't come across as well you might have if they wanted to give you a good reference.

Answer 10

Legally, No. They can only say, that you worked there, at what ever dates, and how much you made. If you left or were let go. That is it.

Realistically, they may say something to an employer who calls about a new job. But they are legally not allowed to.

Good Luck.

Answer 11

Well, you don't state where you are form, but in the UK, no, you cannot give a bad job reference, so I'd imagine it's similar in the US. You can give a persons weaknesses, but you can't give an out and out 'bad' refernce, or say you think the person shouldn't get the job.