bad reference!!!!

[Laiste]

Has anyone here had the unpleasant experience of a former emloyer giving you a bad reference?? This just happened to me...for NO good reason!! Honestly!! If I had done something so wrong as to deserve a bad reference then would I be so stupid as to put that company on my resume'? I think not!!:rolleyes: Now, because of this there is a chance that I won't be getting this job that I've been hoping for!!:( My prospective employer told me a little of what was said by my previous employer. I know she was not supposed to tell me these things but she found it quite odd that all my other references were so great and something struck her as odd. My ex-boss got very personal about me (without getting into details with her) and it wasn't about tardiness or excessive abuse of sick time. He said he had some serious issues with me!! He also said that he would rather not give a reference then give a BAD one!!! What the heck is that??!! I resigned from the place...I was not fired!! I gave them a months notice and they had a huge party for me when I left! It's all so odd! Good thing for me or I would not have known why I have been having such a hard time finding a good job recently!! Now I was wondering what people have done in this situation...I mean this is outright slander and I want to pursue this...I am drafting a letter to the director of human resources where I used to work. What else can I do about this situation?

[Phoenix Blue]

Call the guy that gave you the reference. Better yet, call his boss.

Explain that you were slandered, and unless the company corrects its error in very short order, you will sue for damages.

Watch the guy who gave the bad reference piss his pants.

[Lavender]

Contact a lawyer. I don't know about the labour laws in the US but here, you can't give personal opinions in a reference check. Especially what you just describe. That's outright slander!

[unicornprincess]

that happened to me just a few months ago -- i voluntarily left a job because I did not like my supervisor. However, he had nothing but good things to say about me (I think he had some serious mental problems -- memory, mood swings, etc.). When the people at my current job started calling around for references, they somehow got ahold of him (even though he was not listed as a reference -- just as a former supervisor). He called me & said that unless I made myself available to that organization whenever they needed me, he would not be able to give me a good reference. I didn't know what to say, so I said "alright" initially. Then I made some phone calls. That is completely 100% illegal!!

First of all, if a prospective employer is looking for references, list the human resources person for all former employers. Only list former co-workers/bosses if you want them to be a personal reference. If your supervisor was not listed as a personal reference, the only information they are supposed to do is confirm that you worked there and that you resigned (honorable discharge & all that).

I would go ahead and write the letter to the HR department of your former employer -- your former supervisor violated several employment rules.

Don't dispair too much about the job -- if the people you're interviewing with were shocked enough about the one discrepancy in the references, they may chalk it up to the fact that the person is psychotic.

Good luck!

[WandererInGray]

*nods* I don't know how it works in any other state...but here in Colorado they're not allowed to speak about you personally....only the job that you performed. Anything else is tantamount to slander.

[PhoenixTwilight]

I'm not sure what to do about that kind of situation... I guess my best suggestion would be to call the person that was giving the bad reference... and I hope things work out for the best!

[StormCloud]

You have good cause to complain to your old company. Our HR department has instructed all managers that they are only to verify basic employment information - dates of hire, salary, whether you were on time if that was important. Anything else could be grounds for a discrimination suit, and they'd rather avoid such things.

[shnen]

that's illegal. you cannot give a bad reference. at least in Canada it is. you can chose to not give a reference, but you usually ask people if they can be used as a reference too...

Do you have a legal aid you could just call and ask about it?

[Azure]

My sister works in HR, and she suggests you call that company's HR department. What he did is unacceptable, and could ultimately cost him his job. . .

[Laiste]

Thank you all for your insight! It is appreciated!

Just to clarify...I did NOT list this person as a personal reference. But the job was listed on my resume'. I found out tonight, from a former co-worker, that the call was taken by a certain individual and she forwarded the call to my ex-boss. My ex-boss, by the way, is no longer affiliated with the hospital I worked for! There was a separation of the two hospitals after I left. I have sent out the letter to HR and will give it some time and see what response, if any, I get from them. In the meantime I am doing some research on the matter and have contacted a friend who is a para-leagal. I will keep you posted if there are any future events!

[Faery-Wings]

Good luck with this laiste!

[GreenDawn]

From the FLorida perspective- you are only allowed to give a answer of would they be eligible fo rehire or not? If not, then if the company requested- they would have to answer for work performance, tardiness, absents, breaking of company policy. Personal Issues are not included. I am not sure about the issue of if you fail a drug test though. In all actuality- even if you are eligible for rehire- they really can't say much still.


But that is definite slander. In the future, get letters of references form the companies, so you can 1.) give them to your perspective employer 2.) Avoid slander or the lack of people that supervised you. If that person had written a good letter about you, and then trashed you- you could have better proof.

Good luck, I hope the company can over look the petty behavior of that inconsiderate "supervisor" that obviously has no work ethics or business manners and still give you the job you want. I am sure they will- if all your other references were that great- then they can and will. Also, do as someone suggested- go over that persons head- straight to their boss- tell them the situation and get a refernce from the Big Boss.

Brightest Blessings on you, and my energy is yours for the taking!

Love
Dawn

[Amora]

I work in HR in upstate New York and it is illiegal to give personal information in a reference. I am only allowed to verify dates of employment, position held and NO OTHER INFO. Contact the labor board of New York (I believe you're here as well?) and wage a complaint. You can also file legal charges. I've seen it done to some of the companies I work with. But legally he cannot say any of the things he said.

[Lavender]

Good luck, Laiste! I hope it all works out well for you. Keep us posted.

[Laiste]

Well regardless of the bad reference I got the job!!:D I still am going to pursue this matter. I have written a letter to the director of HR asking for a retraction of the negative personal statements that were said. I also added that if I do not recieve this letter within 30 days they will be contacted by my lawyer!!:D

[Illuminatus]

This sort of error can, and should, be prevented with some very basic Social Engineering.

It's actually very simple. Have a quick-witted friend call all of your former employers out of the blue, with a copy of your resume. Your friend pretends to be an HR person for a company you might seek employment with. Have your friend speak frankly with your former boss, ask questions, and what not. Record the conversation.

If they do lie or say something bad, guess what? You strike that reference from your resume.

It may seem overly subversive to undertake such an endeavor, but with todays cuthroat job market, it's a necessity. I have never done this (I always made sure to only list superiors who I became fast friends with, as a contractor working for many bosses every different week, I had this luxury), but for others it might make a crucial difference in getting that great job you deserve.

[Lavender]

Laiste, so glad you got the job & that you're not going to let that bonehead off the hook! :D Congrats on the new job!!!! :sunny:

[Faery-Wings]

Good for you Laiste! Congrats on the new job!!!!!

[fey]

Congrats on getting the job! :)