Use these templates to request employment references professionally and legally.

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Standard Reference Request Letter

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[Your Company Name] [Company Address] [Contact Details]

[Date]

[Referee Name/HR Department] [Company Name] [Company Address]

Dear [Sir/Madam / Specific Name],

Request for Employment Reference

Re: [Candidate Full Name] - [Date of Birth if needed for identification]

We are writing to request an employment reference for the above-named individual who has applied for the position of [Job Title] with our company.

[Candidate Name] has provided us with your details as their [previous/current] employer and has given consent for us to approach you for a reference.

We would be grateful if you could provide us with the following information:

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Employment Details

Question	Response
Dates of employment	From: _______ To: _______
Job title(s) held
Final salary (if appropriate)
Reason for leaving	Resignation / Redundancy / Dismissal / Other
Notice period required	[If current employee]
Would you re-employ this person?	Yes / No / With reservations

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Performance and Conduct

Please rate the employee's performance in the following areas:

Area	Excellent	Good	Satisfactory	Poor	Unable to comment
Quality of work
Reliability and timekeeping
Ability to work independently
Ability to work in a team
Communication skills
Customer service (if applicable)
Technical skills

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Attendance and Discipline

Question	Response
Attendance record	Good / Average / Poor
Sickness absence	[X] days in last 12 months (approximate)
Were there any disciplinary issues?	Yes / No
If yes, please provide details:
Were there any unresolved grievances?	Yes / No
If yes, please provide details:

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Additional Information

Please provide any additional comments that may be relevant to this application:

[Space for comments]

Are there any other matters we should be aware of?

[Space for comments]

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Declaration

I confirm that the information provided is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge.

Name: _________________

Position: _________________

Signature: _________________

Date: _________________

Company stamp: [If applicable]

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Please return this reference to:

[Your Name] [Job Title] [Company Name] [Email] [Address]

We would appreciate your response within [7-10] working days. If you prefer to provide the reference by telephone, please contact me on [phone number].

This reference is confidential and will only be used for recruitment purposes. Thank you for your assistance.

Yours [sincerely / faithfully],

[Your Name] [Your Job Title]

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Enclosed:

• Candidate consent form (copy for your records)
• Stamped addressed envelope

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Brief Reference Request (for Basic Details)

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[Company Letterhead]

[Date]

[Referee Name/HR Department] [Company Name] [Address]

Dear [Sir/Madam],

Employment Reference Request

Re: [Candidate Name]

With the candidate's consent, we are conducting pre-employment checks for the above individual who has applied for employment with us.

Could you please confirm the following details:

• Employment dates: From _______ to _______
• Job title(s): _________________
• Reason for leaving: _________________
• Would you re-employ? Yes / No

If you have any concerns about this person's employment or suitability, please contact me on [phone] to discuss confidentially.

Please respond by [date] to [email address].

Thank you for your assistance.

Yours [sincerely/faithfully],

[Name] [Job Title]

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Senior Position Reference Request

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[Company Letterhead]

[Date]

[Referee Name] [Job Title] [Company Name] [Address]

Dear [Name],

Confidential Reference Request

Re: [Candidate Name] - Application for [Senior Job Title]

[Candidate Name] has applied for the position of [Job Title] with [Your Company] and has provided your name as a professional reference.

Given the seniority of this role, we would value your detailed assessment of [his/her/their] suitability. We would be grateful if you could provide your views on the following:

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Employment Background

• Dates you worked together: _________________
• Your working relationship: [e.g., direct report, colleague, manager]
• [Candidate]'s role and responsibilities: _________________

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Performance and Competencies

Please provide your assessment of the candidate in the following areas:

Leadership and Management

[Your comments on leadership style, team management, decision-making ability]

Strategic Thinking

[Your comments on ability to think strategically, plan ahead, understand the bigger picture]

Technical/Professional Competence

[Your comments on technical skills, professional knowledge, expertise in their field]

Communication Skills

[Your comments on written and verbal communication, presentation skills, stakeholder management]

Commercial/Business Awareness

[Your comments on business acumen, financial understanding, commercial judgment]

Integrity and Ethics

[Your comments on professional conduct, trustworthiness, ethical standards]

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Strengths and Development Areas

What are [Candidate]'s key strengths?

[Your comments]

Are there any development areas or weaknesses we should be aware of?

[Your comments]

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Overall Assessment

Overall, how would you rate this candidate for a senior [Job Title] position?

• Highly recommend without reservation
• Recommend
• Recommend with some reservations
• Do not recommend

Please explain your rating:

[Your comments]

Would you re-employ this person in a senior capacity?

• Yes, definitely
• Yes, probably
• Uncertain
• No

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Confidential Discussion

If you would prefer to discuss this reference by telephone rather than in writing, I would be happy to arrange a convenient time. Please contact me on [phone] or email [email].

Please return by: [Date]

Return to: [Email address] or [postal address]

This reference will be treated in strict confidence and used solely for recruitment purposes.

Thank you for taking the time to provide this detailed reference.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name] [Job Title] [Contact Details]

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Email Reference Request

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Subject: Reference Request - [Candidate Name]

Dear [Referee Name / HR Team],

I am writing to request an employment reference for [Candidate Full Name] who has applied for the role of [Job Title] with [Your Company].

[Candidate Name] has given consent for us to contact you and has provided your details as their [current/former] employer.

Could you please confirm the following:

Employment Details:

• Employment dates (from/to)
• Job title(s) held
• Reason for leaving
• Final salary (if appropriate)

Performance:

• Overall performance rating (excellent/good/satisfactory/poor)
• Reliability and timekeeping
• Any disciplinary or performance issues

Re-employment:

• Would you re-employ this person? (Yes/No)

Additional comments:

• Any other information we should be aware of?

Please respond to this email by [date]. If you would prefer to discuss by telephone, I can be reached on [phone number].

If you require any further information or a formal reference request letter, please let me know.

Thank you for your assistance.

Kind regards,

[Your Name] [Job Title] [Company Name] [Phone] [Email]

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Reference Request Follow-Up Letter

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[Company Letterhead]

[Date]

[Referee Name/HR Department] [Company Name] [Address]

Dear [Sir/Madam / Name],

Reference Request Follow-Up

Re: [Candidate Name]

I am writing to follow up on our reference request dated [date] regarding the above-named candidate.

We have not yet received a response and would be grateful if you could provide the requested information as soon as possible.

[If deadline approaching:] We are hoping to make a decision on this appointment by [date] and your reference is an important part of our pre-employment checks.

If you have any concerns about providing a reference or need any clarification, please contact me on [phone] or [email].

Alternatively, if you would prefer to provide a basic factual reference only (employment dates and job title), that would also be helpful.

I enclose a copy of our original request for your convenience.

Thank you for your assistance.

Yours [sincerely/faithfully],

[Your Name] [Job Title] [Contact Details]

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Telephone Reference Script

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Introduction

"Hello, my name is [Your Name] from [Your Company]. I'm calling regarding a reference for [Candidate Name] who has applied for a position with us as [Job Title]. Do you have a few minutes to discuss?"

[Confirm they are the appropriate person to provide the reference]

"[Candidate Name] has given consent for us to contact you. Can I confirm you are happy to provide a reference?"

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Employment Details

• "Can you confirm the dates [Candidate] worked for you?" [From ____ to ____]
• "What was their job title?" [______]
• "What was the reason for leaving?" [______]
• "Are they currently working their notice?" [If applicable]

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Performance

• "How would you rate their overall performance?" [Excellent/Good/Satisfactory/Poor]
• "Were there any performance or conduct issues we should be aware of?" [Yes/No - details if yes]
• "How was their timekeeping and reliability?" [______]
• "Were there any disciplinary warnings or issues?" [Yes/No - details if yes]
• "Any unresolved grievances?" [Yes/No]

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Suitability

• "Would you re-employ this person?" [Yes/No/With reservations]
• "Is there anything else you think we should know about this candidate?" [______]
• "Would you recommend them for this type of role?" [______]

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Closing

"Thank you very much for your time. Can I take your full name and job title for our records?"

Name: ______ Job Title: ______ Date of call: ______

"I'll send you an email confirming what we've discussed. Thank you again for your help."

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Guidance for Requesting References

Legal and GDPR Compliance

Always obtain consent:

• Get written consent from the candidate before approaching referees
• Consent should specify which employers you'll contact
• Inform candidates what information you'll request
• Candidates have the right to see references under GDPR (with some exceptions)

Data protection:

• Only request relevant information
• Store reference securely
• Don't share with unnecessary parties
• Retain in accordance with data retention policy

Best Practices

When to request:

• Usually after interview, before offer
• Or conditional offer subject to satisfactory references
• Don't request from current employer until candidate ready

What to ask:

• Stick to job-relevant questions
• Ask for facts, not just opinions
• Use consistent questions for fairness
• Avoid discriminatory questions

Timing:

• Request promptly after interview/provisional offer
• Give referee reasonable deadline (7-10 days)
• Follow up if no response
• Don't delay hiring unnecessarily

Interpreting References

Red flags:

• Refusal to provide any reference
• Vague or evasive answers
• "Faint praise" (saying very little positive)
• Reluctance to re-employ
• Significant gaps or inconsistencies
• Factual inaccuracies compared to application

What to do if concerns arise:

• Seek clarification from referee
• Discuss with candidate
• Request additional references
• Consider if concerns are relevant to the role
• Document your decision-making process

Alternative Approaches

If no response:

• Follow up by phone
• Request basic factual reference only
• Accept alternative referee
• Proceed with other checks (Right to Work, DBS if applicable)

If referee refuses:

• This is their right (no obligation to provide)
• Ask candidate for alternative referee
• Document the refusal
• Consider impact on hiring decision

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Requesting references before candidate consents
• Contacting current employer prematurely
• Asking discriminatory questions
• Relying solely on references without other checks
• Not verifying identity of referee
• Accepting references from inappropriate sources (family, friends)
• Not documenting reference responses
• Sharing reference content inappropriately