Frames of reference for employee referral

A manager must consider the potential liability from an exiting employee and the future employer when giving a character reference or statement of employment

The controversy arising from the character references given for the former journalist Tom Humphries sparked a debate about the purpose and risks involved in providing character references. Traditionally, character references have been associated with the employment relationship, and therefore it is timely to look at these issues in the employment context.

An employee reference is intended to put a safeguard into the recruitment process for a potential employer by obtaining additional information which ...