Reference Check - What All Information Should Be Disclosed?

Hello...As i am new so i don't have any idea so seniors please guide me.
If an employee working at my company leaves or is fired & then applies to some other company.Then the other company HR calls us for checking reference checking then what all should be disclosed to her?
Should i also disclose why that person was being fired or left?
12th April 2011 From India, Jaipur

I think you should not disclose your internal matter and specially which will play hinderance to his career - gainst whatever would be the matter.
You can tell the agency that is resigned for better prospects.
For punishing him for his mistakes you can imply suitable penanlty within limits of his earnings.
12th April 2011 From India, Mumbai

u can share the following details
1. emp name
2. designation and time period he served in ur office
3. his ctc details
4. projects he had worked for(if needed)..
dont ever comment any negative factors about the employee as it will affect his future career which will be a barrier to join in new companies
Regards
Matheen.R
12th April 2011 From India, Madras

Hi friend,

Here is what you can disclose :

• Employee Name
• Employee ID
• Employee Designation
• Employment Status
• Salary
• Attitude
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Employee Reporting head name
• Reason for resignation
• Period of work
• Any plans of re-hiring the candidate
• Reason behind employee resignation

Request you not to reveal negative comments on the candidate as it may cost his/her future. If the candidate has done something that cannot be hidden(Like stealing company assests and other illegal acts, abscondism, bad attitude spoiling the work environment, Sexual harrasment, Physical violence, Falsifies information on his/her experience during recruitment etc.) then yes there are companies that disclose it such that the next hiring company doesn't face the same situation that they have face with the employee. They even produce the documented proof as evidence.


- Babu

12th April 2011 From India, Madras

Dear Neha, Sending you the sample and the area of background verification. This format has been downloaded from the internet. Hope this will help you. Regard’s Shaikh
12th April 2011 From India, Bhubaneswar

Attached Files (Download Requires Membership)

Back ground verification_sample.doc (35.0 KB, 602 views)

Dear Neha,

Here's a script followed by an industry leader during the background verifaction. You may not answer all the questions depending on the confidentiality to be maintained by your organization. However, you may choose to validate, what you have been asked. As suggested by other members, please avoid any subjective feedback. Keep it purely data oriented and factual.

Moreover, if you have fired an employee, you must have issued a clearance letter. Have you mentioned the reason for the change in the employment status, with the company? Most of the time, those letters do not share any details about termination. Since you have not issued it in writing, please keep it safe and do not give any such information verbally.

Incase, the employee had done something terminally wrong and you had to publish it in the news paper as fraudulent activity. Then the matter stands different. If the termination had been due to an internal dissonance , please avoid talking about it. You have already set it even by terminating the employee.

POTENTIAL QUESTIONS

• Can you please verify that [Name of Applicant] was an employee with your Company from [Insert Date] to [Insert Date]?
  
• What type of work did [Name of Applicant] do?
  
• Were [his/her] earnings $[Enter yearly salary]? Were there any bonus or incentive plans?
  
• Why did [Name of Applicant] leave your organization?
  
• How would you rate [Name of Applicant]’s overall job performance on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest, compared with others you observed in a similar capacity?
  
• How did [Name of Applicant]’s last job performance review go? What were the strengths and weaknesses cited in the evaluation?
  
• What do you feel were [Name of Applicant]’s major accomplishments with your company?
  
• What is the biggest change you’ve observed in [Name of Applicant]’s performance while with your Company? Where has there been the most growth or development?
  
• How did [Name of Applicant] handle [himself/herself] in times of conflict? Can you provide me with an example?
  
• What other person(s) know [Name of Applicant]? May I have their name, title, and business phone number?
  

Regards,

(Cite Contribution)


12th April 2011 From India, Mumbai

Thanks a lot for your instant replies..
But if i am asked that why did the employee left or why was he fired? My answer is "He was a trainee & he could not perform well so he was being fired so then this of course a negative feedback for him & it can barrier for his/her future" So what should be done in this case?
13th April 2011 From India, Jaipur

Hi Neha,
The future of candidate many a times rely on what kind of reference we are giving, just think from this perspective if you are selected somewhere but because your last employer perception was not good, and they say all negative how would it go with you...
Similarly here, if a trainee could not perform and you told the next employer is actually a negative feedback which can not become an obstacle for this guy/girl.
Unless, there is something which is of serious nature such as, theft, sexual harrasment, physical harrasment, violence, and other things of similar nature one should refrain from saying negative remarks. I know people will think why not to be honest in such cases, and the answer is the perception of how and what we feel about the candidate can differ from the next employer. and just because some one did not perform in our company does not mean she/he cannot cannot be given another chance.
Now, if you have already given your reference, nothing can be done. :(
13th April 2011 From India, Delhi

hi..thanks for the reply..but i also feel that the trainee should be given another chance as May be if he could not perform well here that doesn't mean that he cannot perform well anywhere else.So in these type of cases what answer should be given??
13th April 2011 From India, Jaipur

Dear Neha,
There may be several reasons for which "Trainee" could not perform and there may be some issues from employer side.
Did you prepare the development plan to minimize the performance gap as it is the duty of each and every employer to take care of its employees for future growth and prospects.
I would request you to think logically and function as a human being.
Hope this will help you.
Regard's
Shaikh
13th April 2011 From India, Bhubaneswar