"I'd love to give you a reference but I could lose my job." WTF?

bertha katzenengel

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Sat Mar-18-06 10:19 AM
Original message

"I'd love to give you a reference but I could lose my job." WTF?

I am looking for a new job and asked a non-attorney professional for a reference, and that was her reply to me.

Does anyone know if this is a standard thing in the legal or business world -- for a professional to give a non-professional a reference is a pink-slip offense?

Or is the management at law firm just a total control freak?

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GOPisEvil

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Sat Mar-18-06 10:22 AM
Response to Original message

1. A personal reference or professional?

I used to work for the State of Texas, and the standard line is that if contacted about an employee, they give dates of employment and whether that person is eligible for rehire. That's it. They don't want to get sued for defamation.

Now a personal reference should be no problem as the requestee is not acting in an official capacity; only as someone who knows you.

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bertha katzenengel

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Sat Mar-18-06 10:23 AM
Response to Reply #1

2. I need a professional reference.

I know that my HR manager isn't allowed to tell any more than you wrote, but for that to extend to the entire firm? :wtf:

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GOPisEvil

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Sat Mar-18-06 10:25 AM
Response to Reply #2

4. Managers used to toe the same line as HR.

But since any action by an employee of the firm opens the firm to litigation...:eyes:

Is there someone who no longer works at that firm who can fill the role? I contacted the supervisor who hired me and who I've maintained a friendship with (who has since moved on) to provide a professional reference for me.

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LostinVA

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Sat Mar-18-06 10:27 AM
Response to Reply #4

7. That's what I was thinking -- an ex-colleague or client

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bertha katzenengel

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Sat Mar-18-06 10:27 AM
Response to Reply #4

8. Thanks, D.

There is on person, for whom I worked years ago. She left last year. Maybe I'll ask her.

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GOPisEvil

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Sat Mar-18-06 10:29 AM
Response to Reply #8

10. You're welcome, and good luck!

There's lots of new job karma in the lounge these days. :)

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LostinVA

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Sat Mar-18-06 10:26 AM
Response to Reply #2

5. Probably

Because of lawsuits for both positive and negative references, most places won't allow "real" references.

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bertha katzenengel

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Sat Mar-18-06 10:28 AM
Response to Reply #5

9. Yeah, seems that's correct....

It just seems so bogus to me. I detest the pervasive fear of litigation in this country.

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InsultComicDog

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Sat Mar-18-06 10:25 AM
Response to Original message

3. Where I work

Edited on Sat Mar-18-06 10:26 AM by InsultComicDog

I was instructed not to give references for people currently working there. Or even for people who were recently laid off.

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bertha katzenengel

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Sat Mar-18-06 10:26 AM
Response to Reply #3

6. Wow...

I'm getting an education. Thanks.

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pitohui

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Sat Mar-18-06 11:40 AM
Response to Original message

11. references are a thing of the past for liability reasons

they are just going to give title and dates of employment, she could have lied and pretended she would give you a reference, at least she was honest

thought this was standard everywhere these days :shrug:

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