References

[Ineedhelp1984]

Hi there i started a new job a month ago i supplied 2 references as have beign on my cv for the past couple of years when it came to contacting the references they have had no response from either today i have being issued a letter stating that i must attend a meeting that could lead to my dismissal because of this, the references themselves i have beign able to cotnact today and i am awaiting the response via email but i fear it may be to late if i do get fired what are my options Thank you

[FORCEOFONE]

Re: References

when you agreed to the job, did the formal offer of employment state:

"subject to satisfactory references"

[Eloise01]

Re: References

You don't have any. You require two years continuous service to bring a claim of unfair dismissal so you are 23 months short. If they wish to disniss you because your references have not been supplied they can do so. Why are your references so out of date? Can you not supply more recent references?

[Eloise01]

Re: References

when you agreed to the job, did the formal offer of employment state:

"subject to satisfactory references"

Irrelevant - with only certain exceptions, this not being one of them, the employer may dismiss with impunity for the first two years.

[Ineedhelp1984]

Re: References

The 2 references are my 2 previous employers i have worked consitantly for the last 13 years and never had such problems like this, the first company had being sold twice which i had no idea about so the first reference was incorrect details which i had no idea about and the other the business is not longer trading for the last 13 months i have being working on behalf of my father but this can not be used as a reference due to him being a family member i have not had anything back of the other 2 i have this meeting tomorrow if i was to hand in my notice today giving a weeks notice would this be better than being fired ?

[labman]

Re: References

I am frequently asked to write references, and I have to say that if I got a request for someone for whom I'd agreed to write a reference two years ago, I would probably write a reference, but would make a point of saying the person applying had not asked my permission and making a point of saying anything I knew was two years out of date.

Common courtesy dictates that when applying for jobs you ask your referees' permission before writing their names down.

[Eloise01]

Re: References

The 2 references are my 2 previous employers i have worked consitantly for the last 13 years and never had such problems like this, the first company had being sold twice which i had no idea about so the first reference was incorrect details which i had no idea about and the other the business is not longer trading for the last 13 months i have being working on behalf of my father but this can not be used as a reference due to him being a family member i have not had anything back of the other 2 i have this meeting tomorrow if i was to hand in my notice today giving a weeks notice would this be better than being fired ?

I don't think it makes any difference - either way you have to explain this or find another way out of it. You haven't as such done anything wrong, but I am not surprised that an employer won't keep you on if referees that you supplied to them have not responded. Largely because the usual explanation for no response is a refusal to provide a reference! They aren't going to take the chance.

I would go to the meeting and hope that you can argue that your performance over the past month has been such that they should give you a chance to prove yourself - after all they still have 23 months they can sack you in. Explain the situation. You have nothing to lose that you won't lose anyway.

[Ineedhelp1984]

Re: References

Thanks for your advice Eloise at the time of writing this i have recieved an email from one of the employers have suplied a reference for me but ths was over the 3 year time frame in which the company asked me to suppl references for but its a reference never the less i just need the other now and hope i get it before tomorrow !

[Eloise01]

Re: References

As I said, if you can't, at least try explaining. But as Labman says, many people wouldn't write a reference for someone they employed that long ago. I wouldn't do it - I might well confirm dates of employment, but nothing more. I cannot really comment on someone I haven't seen for three years - for all I know they have had a career as a serial killer in the meantime!

[FlamingParrot]

Re: References

I am frequently asked to write references, and I have to say that if I got a request for someone for whom I'd agreed to write a reference two years ago, I would probably write a reference, but would make a point of saying the person applying had not asked my permission and making a point of saying anything I knew was two years out of date.

Common courtesy dictates that when applying for jobs you ask your referees' permission before writing their names down.

Funny you should say that, it's happened to me as well! :grin: But I guess it all depends on the circumstances, if you are being asked to provide a character reference or you are running your own business, then it's fair enough to expect people to ask, however, when your previous employer was a large corporation or you worked through a recruitment agency, you normally wouldn't ask for permission. Things can get really complicated when you worked for a large corporation through an agency, some employers insist on getting a reference from "whoever paid you", i.e., the agency, even when they wouldn't have a clue about your work, as long as the client signs the timesheets, they pay you, end of story. You then have your former line manager but it's often company policy to shift all references to HR, who, like the agencies, don't know you from Adam, and all they can do is confirm dates and job title, regardless of how good or bad an employee you were.

As I said, if you can't, at least try explaining. But as Labman says, many people wouldn't write a reference for someone they employed that long ago. I wouldn't do it - I might well confirm dates of employment, but nothing more. I cannot really comment on someone I haven't seen for three years - for all I know they have had a career as a serial killer in the meantime!

Three years is not that long! Of course, if you haven't been in touch with the person, you couldn't comment on what they've been doing over the past few years, however, you could comment based on your previous experience, surely if you are saying that person worked for you, say, between 2005 and 2009, your comments would be based on what happened at that time, not what they were up to after that.

I had a similar experience as the OP, they said one of my referees hadn't responded and they were the ones who'd paid me over the past 2 years (an agency) so they wanted a reference from them rather than my previous line manager - who was the person hiring me for the new job, which means she must have been happy with my performance or she wouldn't hire me, but HR wanted a reference from the agency, this was a US bank and they are really something else! I kept pestering the rogue agency and they responded with their usual date confirmation, this made HR happier than having my actual line manager say she wanted to hire me again because I did a good job. Total madness!

I think I'm going to write a book on the subject of references! :grin:

[Eloise01]

Re: References

Three years is not that long!

It is in my business!

I think I'm going to write a book on the subject of references! :grin:

Chapter One.

Nobody has to give a reference.

The end.

[FlamingParrot]

Re: References

When it comes to employment, Eloise is the legal specialist, :yo: I only talk from experience.

There may not be a legal obligation to give one but, in my experience, most do, even if only to confirm dates, which has become rather standard. Employers always expect a reference and it would be virtually impossible for anyone to get a job if everybody refused to give references. :ohwell:

[Eloise01]

Re: References

I agree, which is why getting no reply from either referee probably scared the shit out of the employer! When referees don't reply it generally leads to one conclusion, rightly or wrongly. When both don't reply....

[enquirer]

Re: References

... referees that you supplied to them have not responded. Largely because the usual explanation for no response is a refusal to provide a reference!

The most common reason is that the company in question no longer exists.