References

1. Reference Request - New Employees

1.1 References should be requested in writing for all candidates who are offered a position with Harrow Council. However, references for all positions in Schools will be taken up prior to interview and this is actioned by each individual school.

1.2 With the exception of positions within Schools, references should be used to support the decision made by the interviewing panel after they have assessed the information received on the candidate from the application form, the interview and the results of any tests carried out.

1.3 Candidates will be expected to provide full, current details for previous employers, failure to do so may lead to their application being disregarded.

1.4 A minimum of 2 referees must be provided. One referee must be their current employer, or if they are not employed, their most recent employer or a school if the candidate is a school leaver. This reference must be given on behalf of the organisation. Other referees must be previous employers, not friends, or former colleagues (unless a former manager who has since left that organisation) and must not be related to the candidate.

1.5 In order to comply with the requirements of the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) and the Council’s Fidelity Insurance Guarantee (for employees who will have responsibility for money, goods, accounts, computer operations / programming), candidates must supply details of referees covering all employments during their last 3 years of employment.

1.6 There may be occasions where the Recruiting Manager feels that the most recent employment is not the most relevant and therefore a decision made to take up references from an earlier employer. In these situations, the candidate should be kept informed of referees who are to be approached other than those previously provided by them.

1.7 The candidate should be informed if they intend to approach someone other than the named referees.

1.8 The Council’s Employment Reference Form (attached) should be used to obtain information on the candidate. A copy of the Role Profile and Selection Criteria for the post should also be sent to the referee for information. They should be requested to give their opinion on the candidate's skills and abilities in relation to meeting the Selection Criteria.

1.9 In cases where, through no fault of the candidate, it proves impossible to obtain references for the last three years e.g. where the previous employer is no longer operating, a record should be kept with the candidates papers, demonstrating attempts to obtain the necessary references and any confirmation received of their previously employment e.g. payslip / P45 / P60. The Recruiting Manager should put in writing to be stored with the recruitment paperwork of their agreement to continue with the appointment process without the relevant reference/s. Advice should be sought from Human Resources & Development.

1.10 When offering a job to a successful candidate, it should be made clear to the candidate that it is a conditional offer subject to successful references (other conditions may also apply).

2. Reference Request - Existing Employees

2.1 If the candidate is an existing employee, their Section Manager (MG1 or above) should be approached for a ‘work report’ using the attached Work Report (Reference) Form. This also applies in the case of employees who are being redeployed.

Only one Work Report is required for existing employees.

In cases where the Recruiting Manager does not require a Work Report for the employee, e.g. the employee movement is within the same service area, the Recruiting Manager should put the reasons in writing to be kept with the recruiting paperwork.

3. Following Receipt of References

3.1 The recruiting manager must ensure that references received are written i.e. not verbal from previous employers. References must be verified i.e. that they are genuine and authentic and that the references provided sufficiently cover the relevant periods of employment.

3.2 For posts involving working with children and / or vulnerable adults, following receipt of all references, recruiting managers must make verification calls to the referees (care should be taken to use the referee’s official telephone numbers). Appointments will not be processed without telephoned verified references.

3.3 The recruiting manager must ‘approve’ the reference by either updating the Online Recruitment System with ‘Reference Approved’ (if recruitment is carried out via this route) or by signing, dating and marking them as ‘approved’.

3.4 ‘To Whom it May Concern’ references must not be accepted.

3.5 The Recruiting Manager must liaise with the Recruitment Team where offers are to be withdrawn for unsatisfactory references.

3.6 Employees may be permitted to see references from a former employer in accordance with the provisions of Data Protection Act 1998.

4. Providing References For Past or Present Employees

4.1 Only managers graded MG1 or above are permitted to give employment references.

4.2 Specific information provided in a reference relating to disciplinary, timekeeping, attendance etc. should be able to be supported by documentary evidence. If a disciplinary warning is outstanding it can be referred to, however a pending investigation where no disciplinary decision has been taken should not be referred to. There may be exceptions to this, if the alleged disciplinary offence is one of gross misconduct and could affect the employee’s suitability for the employment in question e.g. working with children.

4.3 If an employee has taken maternity leave during her period of employment, no reference should be made to this fact when giving a reference.

4.5 In cases where it is not possible to write a positive reference, the manager may wish to give a simple employment references i.e. confirmation of employment dates. If this is followed by a more detailed telephone reference, the manager should remember that if the receiver takes full notes or transcribes the conversation the manager may be obliged to disclose the details of the telephone reference at a later date.

4.6 Where a personal or character reference is requested (for employment or other e.g. court case reasons) from an employee or Councillor of Harrow Council in relation to another past or present employee of the Council, the referee must make it clear in the reference that they are giving the reference as a personal referee and are not acting on behalf of Harrow Council. These references must not be given on Harrow Council headed paper.

4.7 If a reference is requested for an employee who has left the Council with a Settlement Agreement, then the reference request should be forwarded to an HRD Adviser. These references must be signed by the Divisional Director of HRD & Shared Services.

4.8 Employees may be permitted to see references prepared by their employer in accordance with the provisions of Data Protection Act 1998.

In addition, the Council could then be ordered by an Employment Tribunal to disclose a reference.
For more information in relation to the References Policy, please contact the HRD Service Centre 0208 901 2655.