Revenge, not at all Pothole, simply asked for a reference by a company and would like to have answered there questions truthfully.

Thanks for all the other answers, it is a shame that one has to be so fearfull of telling the truth even when it can be backed up by an employees records, however as stated several times here not worth it.

18 months you saw fit to give him employment even with his negatives??

Now he wants to move on and better himself but it inconveniences you a little so may as well throw all the negatives into the reference even though you have been happy to carry on with him for 18 months MMMmmmmmmm.

What an unnecessary post.

All the OP said was that he was not the greatest of staff. You cannot sack someone for this reason alone, even if they happen to be the most miserable, bad mannered, unfriendly person you have ever met.

If you could, then he might well have been shown the door some time ago. What is wrong in wanting to be able to give a true, unbiased reference? (Hypothetical question).

Cheers Al, there is always one..

Rich, I have never worked in Sales. But at the moment (as you said a couple of years ago) I'd be happy to drive a white van if it offsets some of the damage to my savings

Hence the offer to help you out for a period if you were stuck but, I'm guessing the hourly rate will be swallowed up in fuel to get there!

Part the problem. Give a glowing reference and you can be sued if the employee isn’t up to their new job and the other firm tries to have a pop at your “She is the greatest woman that ever worked here” reference.

Give a stty one and you can be sued by the employee if they can get their hands on it (easy enough if you know what bits and say and quote and have any tenacity).

Don’t forget it isn’t just a question of having said anything wrong. Defending any action against someone who can get the last couple of £££ of Legal Aid or has someone who will bank roll them or if will act in person is costly as to time and legal fees and distress. This is even if you are 100% watertight. We there is a (gap) in your armour then you could also be looking at the resultant damages and costs. Never forget either that even if you win you are unlikely to get a costs award or if you do manage that by some miracle then it is more than likely that you are trying to extract those costs fro a man of straw.

ETA I can't believe that that word is censored!

A number of years ago I had to provide a reference for a member of staff. Her new employer provided a proforma for me to complete. She was a generally st worker but I didn't put anything negative about her. I was also asked to note how much sick leave she'd had in the past year so I give the amount - well into double figures.

She got the job, but after a few weeks I got a call from her new employers HR department along the lines of "did she really have that much time off sick?"

Next thing I knew she was on the phone swearing vengeance on me as she'd been sacked for throwing one sickie too many!

I would simply state that company policy is not to re-employ and leave it there. You obviously bear this person a bit of a grudge, but it's just not worth the aggro, you'll get over it in time. Never, ever give a reference over the phone either, I know someone who was quite badly caught out and paid the price.

Worse is that I never gave it a second thought when I typed it, only when I saw the did I recall the other meaning. Sad state of affairs.

Sounds like he's perfectly suited to being a civil servant, just be glad he's gone rather than create problems for yourself further up the road.