Work wont give me a reference

Vegetarian

Vegetarian

Vegetarian

Soldato
Joined
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Been working for a telesales company for the last 18 months. I have sold really well and acually hold company sales records and one of the most consistent sellers during my time there. I also now help to train new staff and act as "closing" manager for other peoples sales. However, I have recently sent in my notice because I need some time off to do some personal things and have 2 weeks left.

I have asked for a reference but they wont give me one! They say that it is company policy not to give one. If another employer wants a referee they will supply a generic referee just stating that an employee has worked at the company for a set time scale. They cant give anymore info regarding performance due to legal issues etc.

I am shocked because I have performed really well for the company and means all the hard work I have put in is worthless and not been valued as an employee.

Now If they blatently owe me nothing... then really I can do what I want?

Should I not turn up for my remaing 2 weeks notice and even sacked for doing so surely they have to pay me till the end of the month as I am under contract?

.... my referee wont be affected as I dont really get one anyway!

Any thoughts on this?
 
It's not a legal requirement to give a reference (*exceptions)

You could ask for a personal/character reference from one of the managers though?
 
A lot of companies these days won't give a written reference (generally "due" to potential legal issues) they will give a generic one if contacted as you mentioned and thats it my brother had similiar recently where they would only confirm that he'd worked there for the period he stated and had acceptable attendance and thats it.
 
The company is choosing not to give a reference other than to confirm employment. Fairly normal practice in my experience.

You have to remember that to cover themselves against any legal action they can only provide a reference on documented evidence. Anything they say which proves not to be true could be held against them by yourself or a next employer.

To combat this they choose to provide only employment dates as a reference and probably a basic synopsis of your employment.

If you choose to not work and they sack you then you are only paid up until the date of sacking (following all tribunals and disciplinary procedures). Being sacked is an immediate termination of an employment contract. You are not entitled to any contractual notice period following this. Chances are however that your disciplinary will take more than the 2 weeks you have left.

Your employer would however be able to say you had an outstanding disciplinary for attendance upon leaving the company in any reference as they would have the documented proof. This will reflect poorly on you in future.

My advice would be to accept the minimal reference, complete your 2 weeks to leave on good terms and ask if your immediate manager is able to provide a non-company reference (he/she will need to check if this is allowed by HR as I know I cannot give them for my staff if they leave and they only get the standard company reference).
 
sounds normal for a lot of companies lately. that is all most new employers expect really.
 
Its the same where i work theres a section in the staff handbook saying references cnnot be provided other than basic info stating how long ive worked there and the rate of pay :mad:
 
Nix said:
Can you not ask a friend/colleague within the company to act as a referee?
Click to expand...

Yes you can do this, I did this with a previous place of work and it was fine. I had a workmate on my CV as a Mentor and acted as a personal/character referee.

Although what you have on your job application and CV will go directly with your previous role anyway so whatever achievements you had will be picked up on during your interview and it will be your job to explain why/how you achieved those things and sell yourself.

Just put on your CV that it isn't their company policy to give a detailed reference so instead you have put some effort in for a character reference from a colleague who still works there.
 
Tesco won't, they only gave me a reference saying i'd worked there for x years y months.

I was told it was because people that worked there for say, ten years, then left under a cloud of **** didn't end up with a bad reference. But then it works both ways.
 
you can ask a supervisor/line manager to give you a personal review. ask for it entered into your permanent employment record and take a copy of it-you are legally entitled to have a copy on headed note paper. this is usually accepted as a reference and is often better thought of than a general reference
 
Standard practice. Just put them down as your last employment and your new employer will send them a standard questionaire which their HR will fill out and return.

The days of employers giving personal references are long gone for most of us. Just get some good character references from professional people that you know and you'll be fine.
 
As Castiel says, what has happened for me on a few jobs is that after taking up official references if the new company has wanted more I have provided details of someone willing to give a character reference verbally.

I have also done the same for my best members of staff, basically I told them when I was leaving my last company if they needed a better reference that I would do so verbally for them and just to advise new company of this at interview.
 
Rroff said:
A lot of companies these days won't give a written reference (generally "due" to potential legal issues) they will give a generic one if contacted as you mentioned and thats it my brother had similiar recently where they would only confirm that he'd worked there for the period he stated and had acceptable attendance and thats it.
Click to expand...

My last company did this, despite asking for references when I started.

MW
 
The past 2 companies ive worked for would not give me a written reference. They said if they were contacted by future employers for a reference then they would give me one.

As it happens the place I am working at now asked for references from both employers (along with full CRB, credit history, address history and just about everything else)
 
As said, this is pretty normal procedure nowadays. The only reference most companies will give is to confirm that you worked there for the period xxx to xxx.
 
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