Former Employer Giving Me Bad Reference

[jcoop]

My Former Employer Is Giving Me A Bad Reference, Ive Been Filling Out Applications, Getting Call Backs With Interviews But When It Comes 2 The Hiring/ Check Your References And We'll Give U A Call Back. Theres No Call Back. So I Had A Family Member Of Mine Call Them And Make Like She Was A Job Checking The Reference And They Were Talking Like I Was The Worst Employee They Ever Had. Some People Say Dont Put Them Down As My Recent Employer, And Some Say Its Illegal For Them To Give Out My Work Info Let Alone Fake Work Info. So Any Legal Help??? Is There Anyway I Can Stop That?? Or Call Places Ive Had Interviews At And Talk To Them About It??

[Imagesys95]

It is illegal for your former employer to give a prospective employer (or anyone) any more information than the date you were hired, and the date you departed. They may NOT give out their views on job performance, personality, whether you were fired or quit etc.

Call your local Dept. of Labor and ask them what your next step is.

[DavidColyer]

My Former Employer Is Giving Me A Bad Reference, Ive Been Filling Out Applications, Getting Call Backs With Interviews But When It Comes 2 The Hiring/ Check Your References And We'll Give U A Call Back. Theres No Call Back. So I Had A Family Member Of Mine Call Them And Make Like She Was A Job Checking The Reference And They Were Talking Like I Was The Worst Employee They Ever Had. Some People Say Dont Put Them Down As My Recent Employer, And Some Say Its Illegal For Them To Give Out My Work Info Let Alone Fake Work Info. So Any Legal Help??? Is There Anyway I Can Stop That?? Or Call Places Ive Had Interviews At And Talk To Them About It??

jcoop,

Inform your prospective employers to NOT contact the past employer that's giving bad reference. If the prospective employer asks "why?" Tell them the truth about what's been happening. This is NOT LEGAL ADVICE. Just personal advice based on past experiences.