Previous Employer refusing to give reference

[ollbowski79]

Hi,

I have recently applied for, been interviewed and successfully been offered a job working within the civil service.
I have gone through all of the security, background and criminal records checks, all done without problems.

The issue I am having is that the only thing holding up the process is that the office/department I will be working for are awaiting a reference which they have requested from my former employer, more specifically the manager under whom I served during my time there.

I left this company a few months ago at my own choice i.e. I wasn't sacked or made redundant. The choice to leave was mine alone and I would still be there today had I not left: I was under no pressure to leave the role. However my manager and I did not get on (one of the reasons I chose to leave the role) and I have been led to believe from former colleagues that my former manager has said that she has received the request for a reference but is outright refusing to supply the information, and will claim that she has never had a request at all.

Time is now passing on and I am concerned that the delay will possibly result in the offer of employment being withdrawn.

Given this, I guess my question is this: Is my former employer/manager breaking any law by doing this? I can't help but feel there must be something in the law which would protect people from this happening to them, as she is effectively preventing me from gaining further employment.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[ULA]

Hopefully the matter has been resolved but if not in answer to your query, there is generally no legal obligation for an ex-employer to give a reference. I suggest that if you believe that they are not providing the reference because you did not get on, is there an alternative person who can provide the reference, either the HR Department or another manager whose details can be given to your new employer.