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Employer contacting old employer not for reference

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  • Employer contacting old employer not for reference

    I have worked for my current employer just short of 12 months, I passed my probation period after the first 3 months. I used my previous employer as a reference when I first started my new job. This week my current employer has contacted my previous employer. Is this allowed? And if so what can be discussed? And do I have a right to know what has been said?
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  • #2
    Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

    They can only discuss your work with the previous employer and why you left. Your previous employer is obliged to provide truthful references and not discuss anything personal about you, such as your personal interests or family issues at home etc.

    You can request a copy of all correspondence between your previous employer and your current one, including transcript of phone calls (if recorded) and written letters/emails etc, under section 10 of the data protection act 1998.

    Personally i would first though i would simplay have an informal chat about it with your manager to see what has been said. If they have not taken any action against you then i would not worry about to be honest, and just get on with doing your job as best as you can.
    Please note that this advice is given informally, without liability and without prejudice. Always seek the advice of an insured qualified professional. All my legal and nonlegal knowledge comes from either here (LB),my own personal research and experience and/or as the result of necessity as an Employer and Businessman.

    By using my advice in any form, you agreed to waive all rights to hold myself or any persons representing myself of any liability.

    If you PM me, make sure to include a link to your thread as I don't give out advice in private. All PMs that are sent in missuse (including but not limited to phishing, spam) of the PM application and/or PMs that are threatening or abusive will be reported to the Site Team and if necessary to the police and/or relevant Authority.

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    The Governess; 6th March 2012 GRRRRRR

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    • #3
      Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

      I think that, under the Data Protection Act, once an employer has requested a reference from a previous employer, the data changes status from 'confidential' to 'reference received', & can be requested from the previous employer.
      CAVEAT LECTOR

      This is only my opinion - "Opinions are made to be changed --or how is truth to be got at?" (Byron)

      You and I do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.
      Cohen, Herb


      There is danger when a man throws his tongue into high gear before he
      gets his brain a-going.
      Phelps, C. C.


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      • #4
        Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

        Originally posted by Scotty2k11 View Post
        I have worked for my current employer just short of 12 months, I passed my probation period after the first 3 months. I used my previous employer as a reference when I first started my new job. This week my current employer has contacted my previous employer. Is this allowed? And if so what can be discussed? And do I have a right to know what has been said?
        Do you know why they have been in contact, and can you share that with us?

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

          Originally posted by charitynjw View Post
          I think that, under the Data Protection Act, once an employer has requested a reference from a previous employer, the data changes status from 'confidential' to 'reference received', & can be requested from the previous employer.
          Thats true, but only applies to the content of the reference and no personal details other than the persons name, date of bith, address etc and details of their work ethic, record and etc. and reason for leaving/dismissal can be including. Anything stated about the subjects personal life etc would fall foul of the data protection act. Also anything false would give grounds for employer to sue the person/employer responsible for the false statements for libel.
          Please note that this advice is given informally, without liability and without prejudice. Always seek the advice of an insured qualified professional. All my legal and nonlegal knowledge comes from either here (LB),my own personal research and experience and/or as the result of necessity as an Employer and Businessman.

          By using my advice in any form, you agreed to waive all rights to hold myself or any persons representing myself of any liability.

          If you PM me, make sure to include a link to your thread as I don't give out advice in private. All PMs that are sent in missuse (including but not limited to phishing, spam) of the PM application and/or PMs that are threatening or abusive will be reported to the Site Team and if necessary to the police and/or relevant Authority.

          I AM SO GOING TO GET BANNED BY CEL FOR POSTING terrible humour POSTS.

          The Governess; 6th March 2012 GRRRRRR

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

            Do you have cause to suspect a negative reason for them contacting your previous employer? Do you know if the contact was by phone or written?

            I know from my previous role that phone references often carried much more weight than a written reference. However incorrect this is, it is common practice.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

              Q How do you know this has happened?

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

                They received a personal phone call from an ex girlfriends dad with an axe to grind with me and told me they are looking at bringing me down a disciplinary route for this which I don't agree with in the first place. I left my old employer as it was the end of a fixed contract and had an impeccable record at my old place. I know my former manager would not have a bad word to say about me. I just feel to be contacting my old employer now after a year in my new job is quite sneaky and underhand. I would like to thank you all for your help and advice. I know the contact was by phone but I have not yet mentioned that I know
                ------------------------------- merged -------------------------------
                Originally posted by righty View Post
                Q How do you know this has happened?
                I overheard my office manager initiate the phone call but didn't stick around to listen
                Last edited by Scotty2k11; 15th November 2011, 20:37:PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

                  We all have people who don't like us or have an axe to grind for some reason. As long as you know your conduct has been OK, I wouldn't worry too much.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

                    How is the ex girlfriends dad involved. Is he your present employer??

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

                      sounds a bit complicated, and not sure i can make out the full picture, so, in the words of my favourite dragon...... im out

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

                        If you have misrepresented yourself on your job application or CV, etc, the employer may have grounds for dismissal.
                        It would have to be proven of course.

                        Refer Cheltenham Borough Council v Laird [2009] EWHC 1253 HC
                        Last edited by charitynjw; 16th November 2011, 13:16:PM.
                        CAVEAT LECTOR

                        This is only my opinion - "Opinions are made to be changed --or how is truth to be got at?" (Byron)

                        You and I do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.
                        Cohen, Herb


                        There is danger when a man throws his tongue into high gear before he
                        gets his brain a-going.
                        Phelps, C. C.


                        "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance!"
                        The last words of John Sedgwick

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

                          As I read it, your ex girlfriends dad has contacted your current employer to have a moan about you/make allegations/**** stir???

                          This has prompted your current employer to contact your old employer to see if there is any substance to these allegations/generally check out your reputation personally as this phone call has alarmed him?

                          When he spoke to your ex employer, in all likelihood he will have been told only positive stuff about you due to a genuinely good history.

                          So you are aggrieved that your current employer has reacted in such a way/doubted you/contacted your ex employer to verify you? Especially after a year in the job.

                          If I am correct, I'm not surprised you are annoyed, you are probably also annoyed that your ex GF's dad has been so successful at stirring trouble up.

                          But, it is the possibility of disciplinary you need to clarify. Why is disciplinary threatened? What did the ex GF's dad allege about you? How could this impact on your work reputation?
                          "Although scalar fields are Lorentz scalars, they may transform nontrivially under other symmetries, such as flavour or isospin. For example, the pion is invariant under the restricted Lorentz group, but is an isospin triplet (meaning it transforms like a three component vector under the SU(2) isospin symmetry). Furthermore, it picks up a negative phase under parity inversion, so it transforms nontrivially under the full Lorentz group; such particles are called pseudoscalar rather than scalar. Most mesons are pseudoscalar particles." (finally explained to a captivated Celestine by Professor Brian Cox on Wednesday 27th June 2012 )

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                          • #14
                            Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

                            Originally posted by charitynjw View Post
                            I think that, under the Data Protection Act, once an employer has requested a reference from a previous employer, the data changes status from 'confidential' to 'reference received', & can be requested from the previous employer.
                            No but it can be requested from the present employer.

                            A reference should only include your employment stats. Length of employment Duties, Sickness, Time Keeping etc There should be nothing which describes your suitability for employment such as 'good bad worker' etc

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Employer contacting old employer not for reference

                              Originally posted by righty View Post
                              No but it can be requested from the present employer.

                              A reference should only include your employment stats. Length of employment Duties, Sickness, Time Keeping etc There should be nothing which describes your suitability for employment such as 'good bad worker' etc
                              I don't think that is the case across all areas of work. Some actually consider it good practice to write a reference against the person specification or job description.

                              Comment

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