Employment Reference Letter Templates

Use these templates to provide references for former employees.

Factual Reference (Standard)

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[Company Name] [Company Address] [Tel/Email]

[Date]

Private & Confidential [Requesting Company Name] [Address]

Dear Sir/Madam,

Reference for [Employee Name]

I confirm the following details in response to your reference request:

Information	Details
Full Name	[Employee full name]
Employment Dates	[Start date] to [End date]
Job Title	[Job title]
Salary on Leaving	£[Amount] per annum
Reason for Leaving	[Resignation/Redundancy/End of contract]

This reference is given in good faith and in confidence. [Company Name] cannot accept liability for any reliance placed upon it.

Yours faithfully,

[Name] [Job Title] [Company Name]

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Standard Reference (More Detail)

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[Company Name] [Company Address]

[Date]

Private & Confidential

[Requesting Company Name] [Address]

Dear [Name],

Reference for [Employee Name]

Thank you for your request for a reference for [Employee Name]. I am pleased to provide the following information.

Employment Details

Information	Details
Employment Period	[Start date] to [End date]
Job Title	[Job title]
Department	[Department]
Reporting To	[Manager's title]
Final Salary	£[Amount] per annum
Reason for Leaving	[Reason]

Duties

[Employee name] was responsible for:

• [Main duty 1]
• [Main duty 2]
• [Main duty 3]

Performance

[Employee name]'s performance was [satisfactory/good/excellent]. [Add brief factual statement about performance, e.g., "They consistently met their targets" or "They received positive feedback from clients".]

Attendance and Timekeeping

[Employee name]'s attendance record was [satisfactory/good]. [If asked specifically about sickness absence, you may provide factual data.]

Disciplinary Record

There are no disciplinary warnings on file. [Or, if there are unexpired warnings: "There is [one/two] disciplinary warning(s) on file."]

Re-employment

[Choose one:]

• We would/would not re-employ [Employee name]
• We are unable to comment on potential re-employment

This reference is given in good faith and in confidence. It represents the views of [Company Name] based on our knowledge of the individual during their employment.

Yours sincerely,

[Name] [Job Title]

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Reference with Concerns

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Private & Confidential

Dear [Name],

Reference for [Employee Name]

Employment Details

[As above - factual information]

Performance

[Employee name]'s performance was [assessed as requires improvement/was satisfactory in most areas with some concerns]. [Factual and fair statement, e.g., "Their performance was subject to a formal Performance Improvement Plan in [date]. Some improvement was made."]

Conduct

During their employment, [Employee name] received [X] formal disciplinary warnings for [reason, if fair and relevant to disclose]. [If warnings have expired, consider whether to include.]

Attendance

[Employee name]'s attendance record showed [X] absences totalling [X] days during their employment.

Important Note

This reference is provided in good faith based on factual information from personnel records. You should make your own assessment of the candidate's suitability. [Company Name] accepts no liability for any reliance placed on this reference.

Yours sincerely,

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Character Reference (Personal)

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[Personal letterhead or name/address]

[Date]

To Whom It May Concern,

Character Reference for [Name]

I have known [Name] for [X] years in a [professional/personal] capacity. [Explain relationship - e.g., "I was their direct manager at [Company] from [date] to [date]" or "We worked together as colleagues in the [Department] team".]

During this time, I found [Name] to be [positive attributes, e.g., reliable, hardworking, professional, dedicated]. [Provide specific examples if appropriate.]

[Name] is [strengths relevant to the role they're applying for]. I believe they would be an asset to any organisation and I recommend them without reservation.

If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Name] [Contact details]

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Reference Request Form (Template)

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Reference Request

Field	Information Required
Candidate Name
Position Applied For
Your Company
Contact Details

Questions

1. Please confirm dates of employment
2. Please confirm job title and main duties
3. Please confirm reason for leaving
4. How would you rate their performance? (Excellent/Good/Satisfactory/Poor)
5. How would you rate their attendance? (Excellent/Good/Satisfactory/Poor)
6. Were there any disciplinary issues?
7. Would you re-employ this person?
8. Any other comments?

Declaration

This reference is given in confidence for recruitment purposes only.

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Key Legal Points

What You Must Do

Requirement	Detail
Be accurate	Information must be true
Be fair	Not misleading by omission
Be consistent	Same approach for all
Protect data	Handle reference confidentially

What You Can Do

Option	Detail
Decline	No obligation to provide (usually)
Factual only	Stick to verifiable facts
Limited response	Only answer specific questions
Add caveats	Limit your liability

What You Shouldn't Do

Avoid	Risk
False statements	Negligence claim from new employer
Misleading omissions	Negligence claim
Unfair criticism	Defamation claim from employee
Discrimination	Discrimination claim

Liability Protection

Always include:

• "Given in good faith and in confidence"
• "Based on our records during employment"
• "[Company] accepts no liability for reliance on this reference"