Being given permanent job but still asking for references?

Original post by LifeisGolden

Hi

My sister started a job over a year ago now and she passed her probation period and was offered a permanent position at the end of her 6 months probation last December which she accepted but now she's getting asked for references again even though she told her boss at the start of the job she couldn't find anyone to give her references as she's never worked before and her lecturers and her PAT couldn't give her one because they never met her as she learned over zoom ect.

Would this effect her keeping the job? Surely she can't be fired for no references when her boss knew she struggled to get references a year ago and still gave her a permanent position?

If her contract specifically required references i.e. you have a job subject to fulfilling the terms of the offer, then they probably could terminate her contract. She should review her communications from the time & her contract.

If she has evidence she wouldn’t provide references & they accepted this then she has some leverage, it’s pretty reasonable to ask for references however after a year it’s reasonable that the reference someone might have used has fallen off...

this is probably HR policy, and someone doesn’t know why this is missing from the system - if she made it clear to the hiring manager & they were happy then perhaps get them respond to hr with this.

Reply 2

Original post by LifeisGolden

Hi

My sister started a job over a year ago now and she passed her probation period and was offered a permanent position at the end of her 6 months probation last December which she accepted but now she's getting asked for references again even though she told her boss at the start of the job she couldn't find anyone to give her references as she's never worked before and her lecturers and her PAT couldn't give her one because they never met her as she learned over zoom ect.

Would this effect her keeping the job? Surely she can't be fired for no references when her boss knew she struggled to get references a year ago and still gave her a permanent position?

Someone from school? A family friend who is a professional? Was she on Zoom for three years? Surely not ...

Reply 3

OP

Original post by Muttley79

Someone from school? A family friend who is a professional? Was she on Zoom for three years? Surely not ...

Her school has closed down and we dont have any family or friends we can ask. We can only think of maybe her GP but don't know if they would do that.

She was on zoom for 2yrs during COVID and the first year was at a collage were none of her lecturers still teach there so she stuck. We also thought about maybe her doing a volunteer job at Weeknd's so she could ask for a reference from them after a few weeks

Reply 4

Original post by LifeisGolden

Her school has closed down and we dont have any family or friends we can ask. We can only think of maybe her GP but don't know if they would do that.

She was on zoom for 2yrs during COVID and the first year was at a collage were none of her lecturers still teach there so she stuck. We also thought about maybe her doing a volunteer job at Weeknd's so she could ask for a reference from them after a few weeks

References are a legal requirement ... does she know nobody that is a professional? You can trace teachers quite easily - try LinkedIn or google. Did she play sport or play an instrument?

Reply 5

OP

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Muttley79

References are a legal requirement ... does she know nobody that is a professional? You can trace teachers quite easily - try LinkedIn or google. Did she play sport or play an instrument?

There is another school she went too that is still open but hasn't been there in years could they still give her one? What if they don't remember her? I asked her if she remembers any of there names and she said no would the school have the info maybe of who taught her?

Reply 6

mnot

Original post by LifeisGolden

Her school has closed down and we dont have any family or friends we can ask. We can only think of maybe her GP but don't know if they would do that.

She was on zoom for 2yrs during COVID and the first year was at a collage were none of her lecturers still teach there so she stuck. We also thought about maybe her doing a volunteer job at Weeknd's so she could ask for a reference from them after a few weeks

This is certainly eye raising - and I find it hard to believe in 12 or 24 months, literally every lecturer left, education institutions should at the very least be able to write a letter confirming attendance & achievement.

(edited 7 months ago)

Reply 7

Zarek

21

Some roles for regulatory purposes can require the employer to hold references. Theses days though references are often no more than confirming someone’s dates of employment, which gives some verification of what’s said on a cv. I suggest she speaks to her boss or HR and finds out why these references are needed and to re -discuss what is and isn’t possible. I would be very surprised if her contract would be ended because of these references. Mind you she has precious few employment rights until employed for 2 years

(edited 7 months ago)

Reply 8

Original post by LifeisGolden

There is another school she went too that is still open but hasn't been there in years could they still give her one? What if they don't remember her? I asked her if she remembers any of there names and she said no would the school have the info maybe of who taught her?

Yes - records are kept for a while. I'm shocked the uni can't say anything - was every lecture on Zoom for two years??? What uni is this ..

Reply 9

OP

Original post by Muttley79

Yes - records are kept for a while. I'm shocked the uni can't say anything - was every lecture on Zoom for two years??? What uni is this ..

It was chester uni some lecturers never bothered to even get back and those that did said they don't do references for students they have never met which I found so stupid.

Her course was animal behavior which was taught through zoom meetings through 2020-21 and 21-22 or at least her course was.

Does it have to be one of her teachers? She was there over 10yrs ago now could It be anyone there just confirm she attended ect

(edited 7 months ago)

Reply 10

OP

Original post by mnot

This is certainly eye raising - and I find it hard to believe in 12 or 24 months, literally every lecturer left, education institutions should at the very least be able to write a letter confirming attendance & achievement.

It was reaseheath collage she did her first year and she didn't have any contact details for any of her lecturers so she contacted the university centre at the college and was told all the lectures who taught her have moved on and they couldn't help.

Reply 11

Original post by LifeisGolden

It was reaseheath collage she did her first year and she didn't have any contact details for any of her lecturers so she contacted the university centre at the college and was told all the lectures who taught her have moved on and they couldn't help.

Yes but admin can confirm she attended - I've written this sort of thing from our records without knowing the person

Reply 12

OP

Original post by Muttley79

Yes but admin can confirm she attended - I've written this sort of thing from our records without knowing the person

Ok so even admin could give her the reference it doesn't have to be a lecturer?

Reply 13

Original post by LifeisGolden

Ok so even admin could give her the reference it doesn't have to be a lecturer?

They can copy stuff from her reports etc. Check with employer but it's not that uncommon - it can be signed by the Head but prepared by someone else.

Original post by LifeisGolden

Hi

My sister started a job over a year ago now and she passed her probation period and was offered a permanent position at the end of her 6 months probation last December which she accepted but now she's getting asked for references again even though she told her boss at the start of the job she couldn't find anyone to give her references as she's never worked before and her lecturers and her PAT couldn't give her one because they never met her as she learned over zoom ect.

Would this effect her keeping the job? Surely she can't be fired for no references when her boss knew she struggled to get references a year ago and still gave her a permanent position?

She needs give details to her current employer of every organisation she has been involved with over the last 5 years. Leave the employer to deal with the organisations and their reference policies. Most places will only give HR references nowadays, that give the dates you were with the organisation and your role there.

Reply 15

OP