Employers should provide a standard reference of employment consisting of confirmation of name, job title and length of service.
References must in substance be true and accurate.
A referee is not required to provide a copy of a reference to the person about whom the reference is written. Under the GDPR 2018, the person does, however, have a right to ask to see the reference once it is in the hands of a third party.
Action point checklist
Ensure that the information given in a reference is accurate or is genuinely and reasonably believed, after adequate investigation, to be so.
Be consistent about the type of information provided and when references are given.
Try to limit the number of people within the organisation who can give references.
Mark the reference private and confidential.
Try to avoid telephone/oral references.
Consider whether or not a disclaimer would be appropriate