To be really upset about this

[HartlepoolMover]

Been with one of my workplaces for coming up to 3 years. It's working supply in schools. I gave two references all that time ago and I've been working all this time. Yet today I get told that they can't contact these past references and that this is a real concern. This leads me to believe they were never checked in the first place.

They said they need the two most recent work references but 1. My old workplace where I was at for fifteen years has closed down and been demolished just last month as it happens and 2. My old after school 'mum boss' who I worked for after that has passed away.

I'm worried that they will stop me working if I can't find anyone suitable.

This.

There are so many options of what it might be. Could be that someone had joined HR and is actually doing their job and going through to make sure everything is in order. When they find something that isn't, it could be the person that didn't do the checks that gets penalised and not you. Someone could easily be trying to cover their arse by asking you about it.

The trick with these things is not to go from zero to sixty in one step. Answer any questions you're asked honestly, but don't add any other words of your own, other than maybe to ask why this is all being requested now when you provided references when you joined.

Less is more, always.