Can my current employer refuse to give me a reference?

There is no legal obligation to provide a reference except in a few sectors, such as financial services, but any reference that is provided must be true, accurate and fair. Your employer owes a duty both to you and any prospective employer.

How do I ask my current employer for a reference?

Ask for a professional social network recommendation.

Prepare for an unfavorable reaction.

Meet with your current employer.

Remain professional throughout the process.

Can a previous employer give a bad reference?

Employers can usually be truthful during a reference check, but they should be aware of their rights and responsibilities under state law. There are no federal laws that address what an employer can or can't say about a worker.

Related Question Can I ask my current boss for a reference?

What can a potential employer ask your current employer?

What Employers Want to Know

Dates of employment.

Educational degrees and dates.

Job title.

Job description.

Why the employee left the job.

Whether the employee was terminated for cause.

Whether there were any issues with the employee regarding absenteeism or tardiness.

Whether the employee is eligible for rehire.

Can I use current coworkers as references?

A current co-worker.

If someone who you work with is discrete and supportive, they may be your best reference, particularly if you've been at the same place for awhile or have a limited work history. But if you have other choices who are just as good, use them.

How do employers verify current employment?

The employer can request pay stubs from the employee that will show what wage they are currently earning, their current position, and employment dates. Additionally, larger employers may utilize a third party verification system that automatically verifies current employment without contacting the current employer.

What can you legally ask in a reference check?

What You Can Ask

The candidate's dates of employment.

The candidate's job title.

The candidate's salary and duties performed.

Are reference checks legal?

The Legality of Reference Checks

There are no federal laws preventing them from giving you more info on your candidate, just company policies aimed at reducing risk of liability for discrimination and/or defamation.

How do you ask a former boss to be a reference?

Call or email your former supervisor to request the reference at least two to three days before you provide her name.

Ask if she is willing to give an employment reference for you.

Can my boss fire me for personal reasons?

California is an at-will state, which implies that at any moment of jobs with or without reason an employer can terminate you for any reason. This means that if your employer doesn't like your personality if you run out of work, think you're lazy or just don't want staff anymore, they can fire you at any moment.

Can I sue my employer for forcing me to resign?

The law of wrongful constructive termination (also known as wrongful constructive discharge) in California provides that you can sue an employer for wrongful termination even if you resigned rather than being fired.