FOI request (FOI210071)

Employment Referencing Procedures

Requested Mon 20 March 2017
Responded Mon 20 March 2017

Please find below questions of which I am asking via the Freedom of Information Act, in regards to Employment Referencing procedures for a UK-Wide study that is being carried out.
 

1)            Do you request references for all of your new applicants or just for certain posts?  If only certain posts, please can you confirm the job roles in which you do not need references for?

2)            If you need references for a new applicant, how many do you require, or how far back (in years) do you seek references for?

3)            When a reference is received, do you verify its origin to ensure that it is real?

4)            If yes to the above, how is verification undertaken? 

5)            Where verification is carried out, how long can this take? (an average per reference is sufficient.  A min – max time is also sufficient)

6)            If a fake reference is discovered prior to the applicant beginning a role, would the application be terminated?

7)            What would happen if a reference was discovered to be fake after the person had started their job?  Would this be a legal issue, or dealt with via your in-house procedures?

8)            Have you received a fake reference in the last 2 years?

9)            What is the name and email address of your Head/Director of Human Resources? (or equivalent Head of the department that deals with Workforce, Recruitment or People Services). 
 

Response

Q1 - All applicants/posts

Q2 - 2, preferably both work but will accept 1 work 1 personal

Q3 - References must come from a recognised company email address

Q4 - As above

Q5 - N/A

Q6 - Investigated, potential for application to be terminated

Q7 - In House

Q8 - No

Q9 - Mrs V Connolly vconnolly@hastings.gov.uk