BAD Reference

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Dec 6, 2015

Did they tell the truth? If so you have no recourse. If they did not tell the truth, can you prove it? If not, no recourse. If the referring person gave an opinion regardless of positive or negative you cannot disprove an opinion

caliotter3 · Dec 6, 2015

What are you talking about when you use the term "referee", someone who acts in your behalf in a union action, or someone who states they will provide a reference for you (implied to be a good reference) and then badmouths you?

FlyingButterfly · Dec 6, 2015

Hey JustBeachyNurse, thanks for the reply...I confirmed with her if she would be able to give me a good recommendation, she said "Yes"...Isn't this manipulative attitude...I mean this lack of honesty isn't unprofessional and decietful? If she was even leukwarn when I asked her, I wouldn't use her as a referee....Shouldn't she have been honest with me???....And, about the 'truth' that you mentioned, I just did fine during my work there...

FlyingButterfly · Dec 6, 2015

What are you talking about when you use the term "referee", someone who acts in your behalf in a union action, or someone who states they will provide a reference for you (implied to be a good reference) and then badmouths you?

Hey Caliotter3, referee is a formal word for reference....In articles, the two are used interchangeably....And, thx for the reply :)

FlyingButterfly · Dec 6, 2015

Oh, and yes she did not say good things about me...

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN · Dec 6, 2015

Hey Caliotter3, referee is a formal word for reference....In articles, the two are used interchangeably....And, thx for the reply :)

While it's true that you can refer to the person providing a reference as a "referee", this is not common practice. You can still call the person a "reference", which is more common, and is therefore less likely to raise eyebrows.

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN · Dec 6, 2015

Per the TOS, we can't give legal advice.

Do you know what the reference said about you that was negative?

caliotter3 · Dec 6, 2015

As I have posted in the past, a reference who stated they would provide a good reference for me turned out to be insuring I would never get hired. The only way I found out was that a prospective employer informed me about this. An employment attorney gave me the lowdown on what employers can say and not say, as well as contacting the legal department of the former employer. I suggest that you seek the advice of an employment attorney, and, of course, stop using this person as a reference.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Dec 6, 2015

Oh, and yes she did not say good things about me...

References are not required to say "good things" about you. If she was asked her opinion and offered it, that's fine, regardless of if it was positive or negative.

What kind of grievance would you expect you could file with your union? Is this person a current colleague/represented by the union? Even if she is, she still is not required to give you a good reference.

Editorial Team / Admin · Dec 6, 2015

Hi nursing pals,
Do you have any legal claims (e.g filing for grievance with union, etc) against your referee who cost you losing a job? (The reference who was SUPPOSED to give you a good recommendation, BUT did not)...Any thought?
Thx:)

What exactly would a grievance with a union do? Unless the employer and union contract specify how to handle being asked for a reference, that's not even something to consider.

A reference can provide honest answers or personal opinion when asking questions while providing the reference. You have no recourse unless they intentionally provided false information.

What to learn: choose your references wisely.

FlyingButterfly · Dec 6, 2015

References are not required to say "good things" about you. If she was asked her opinion and offered it, that's fine, regardless of if it was positive or negative.
What kind of grievance would you expect you could file with your union? Is this person a current colleague/represented by the union? Even if she is, she still is not required to give you a good reference.

OK, let me clarify something here: Nurse are required to be truthful in their practice including interacting with their colleagues/staff/superviser...A reference who stated positively/clearly she would give good recommendation for you and did not, in my point of view, lacks truthfulness...They could have said "Don't use me as a reference", "No, I wouldn't be able to give you a good recommendation", etc...Even, by being leukwarm; when asked, one could see it as a red flag, hence not using them as a reference.. The reference was my supervisor.

And, I thought may be you could consult an employment attorney or your union representative in your institution to help you with this/to investigate the possibility of defamation.