HR tip: References for redundant employees
HRD & Payroll Solutions continues to bring HR Zone members a range of HR and payroll tips in 2007. A market leader in the provision of HR and Payroll training and nationally recognised professional qualifications, HRD & Payroll Solutions are highly experienced in teaching about common HR and payroll problems. A wide selection of tips, tricks and guidance can be seen below. HR Zone highly recommends that any tips are taken as a starting point for guidance only.
Question:"We give all redundant employees a good reference in order to help them get alternative employment. Is this safe?"
HR Tip:
No, this is dangerous. You must not mislead the reader of a reference either by what you include or what you miss out. If you omit to mention that, for example, the ex-employee was a poor performer, the next employer might sue you for damages. Far better all round is for you to promise to give a reference on request from a potential employer and then comment honestly.
Previous HR and Payroll tips:
November 2007
Recording disciplinary proceedings
Phoning in sick
October 2007
Modest pay increase
Enforcing rest breaks and holidays
Disabled employee and sickness benefit
Age discrimination
September 2007
Notifying the JobCentre of redundancies
Transfer of undertakings
Discovering past misdemeanours
Restrictive covenants
August 2007
Helping redundant employees
Giving notice
Redundancy consultation
Offers subject to references
Compromise agreement
July 2007
Garden leave
Drunk employee
Resignation in face of discipline
Personality problem
June 2007
Searching employees
Companion in disciplinary hearings
Dependents' leave
The right to privacy
May 2007
Confidential information
Sex discrimination
Fixed term contracts
Return from maternity leave
April 2007
Sex discrimination
Deductions from wages
Custom and practice
Disclosing employees' birthdays
March 2007
Making notes in disciplinary proceedings
Discipline and the police
Analysing poor performance
Resignation in a temper
Implied terms of contract
February 2007
Issuing contracts of employment
Unfair and wrongful dismissal
Bullying boss
Persistent absentees
January 2007
Confidential witness statements
Ending a fixed term contract
2006 tips
2005 tips
HR Zone, 15-Nov-2007
Categories:
Story read 1122
User comments
Add comments and share your views with other users.
Please read these notes
Number of comments: 1
David Chernick , 19 November 2007 @ 10:22 AM
References for redundant employees
David Chernick A muddled balance of compassion, commercial awareness and integrity often tempts HR Officers to favour unmerited (if well-intentioned) support over professional advice. We see this confusion when they: - "gently" dismiss irrecoverably poor performers using redundancy instead of performance management, - allow dishonest employees to resign instead of completing disciplinary investigations, and - mislead future employers about former employees' performance. HRD & Payroll Solutions' tip wisely advises referees to comment honestly. Using reputable transition or outplacement services will help redundant employees more than insincere recommendations. And employers who know that the most reliable indicator of an employee's future behaviour is their most recent conduct will already be using dependable selection processes in conjunction with proper reference, ID and probity checks. David Chernick
Reed Screening
|
| |
|
|
