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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Help! I think my job offer is about to fall through…

30 replies

supportneeded9 · 01/04/2025 10:32

I have just been made redundant after 3 years and my last day with the company was yesterday. I had been off sick since January due to stress at work (long story)

I interviewed for a new job a few weeks ago and was offered the position. They contacted my referees yesterday and my former employer has replied asking them to provide my consent again in writing. I’ve never heard of this, it’s not their usual process and it’s making me anxious!

I haven’t disclosed I was off sick (as far as I’m aware you don’t have to and they never asked anyway) I just told them I was being made redundant. I haven’t replied to the email yet. I don’t know what information they’ve requested from my old job so I don’t know what I’m consenting to!

OP posts:
Original poster
supportneeded9 · 01/04/2025 10:47

Just to add, when I originally consented and provided their contact details, I presumed they would only request basic information such as job title, dates etc etc.

OP posts:
ShhhhhItsASurprise · 01/04/2025 10:50

They can ask about sickness absence. You could contact the new company and ask what they are asking for because your previous employer has requested consent to release.

Have you got an agreed reference as part of the redundancy?

TeenLifeMum · 01/04/2025 10:52

@ShhhhhItsASurprise i think that’s recently changed.

Can you contact ex employer and request a basis HR reference confirming employment? Then you can submit that to new employer.

ACynicalDad · 01/04/2025 10:52

If your referee gives you an inaccurate reference, I believe you have grounds to sue, might be worth some googling and just reminding them. You have a right to see any reference written about you, which may be worth reminding them.

NellieJean · 01/04/2025 10:53

A reference must be factual so your company can tell them your sickness record if asked. Some companies have a policy of only providing basic information, job title, length of service etc. You can ask your company what their policy is.

annoyedandbored · 01/04/2025 10:54

Is it a big employer? I know of a few large employers locally that ask for written consent even when there's nothing of note to share

Respectornot · 01/04/2025 10:56

It is good practice to get written consent from the candidate. It's not good practice to be contacting an ex employer without permission. Some companies refuse to provide a reference without it.

I would often get reference requests and they would come with a letter of consent from the candidate.

PhilippaGeorgiou · 01/04/2025 11:02

Once an offer is made the prospective emploter can ask about sickness absence.

There aren't many employers who would accept any general reference submitted by the candidate - the pooint of asking the former employer directly is a form of verification. To be honest, if I got a reference like you are suggesting I'd be wondering what the hell they are hiding and be giving serious consideration to withdrawing the offer.

One thing that I am wondering... what are the terms of your redundancy? Because it is very common that redundancy payment is not due if you hold an offer of employment before your date of redundancy? They may be querying when you were made an offer of a job...

Original poster
supportneeded9 · 01/04/2025 11:04

Thanks for the responses.

Yes, it’s a large employer. They are based in the US, UK and Canada.

I spoke to a couple of colleagues who left the company last year and they confirmed that they weren’t asked to provide consent. That’s why I’m confused.

I think the new job should have made it clear if they wanted information regarding my sickness absence - on the form it just said that they would ask for dates and reason for leaving but the fact my former employer has asked for my consent has made me nervous!

I’m presuming they will rescind the offer if they find out?

OP posts:
Original poster
supportneeded9 · 01/04/2025 11:08

@PhilippaGeorgiou I took voluntary redundancy and my final day was yesterday (it should have been the end of April but they waivered my notice period and confirmed that it was ok for me to find another job)

OP posts:
ShhhhhItsASurprise · 01/04/2025 13:02

TeenLifeMum · 01/04/2025 10:52

@ShhhhhItsASurprise i think that’s recently changed.

Can you contact ex employer and request a basis HR reference confirming employment? Then you can submit that to new employer.

What’s recently changed?

ShhhhhItsASurprise · 01/04/2025 13:04

ACynicalDad · 01/04/2025 10:52

If your referee gives you an inaccurate reference, I believe you have grounds to sue, might be worth some googling and just reminding them. You have a right to see any reference written about you, which may be worth reminding them.

No you don’t. References are excluded from SARs.

And sharing that the OP has been off sick is not untrue.

pinkdelight · 01/04/2025 13:10

I think the new job should have made it clear if they wanted information regarding my sickness absence - on the form it just said that they would ask for dates and reason for leaving but the fact my former employer has asked for my consent has made me nervous!

But there's no actual implication that the new job does want info on your sickness absence is there? Or have I missed something?

TeenLifeMum · 01/04/2025 13:26

ShhhhhItsASurprise · 01/04/2025 13:02

What’s recently changed?

Show quote history

Guidance that used to say you had to give sickness records/details. You are now not supposed to give that. (As a manager and recruiter it really concerns me but to do with equality.)

theressomanytinafeysicouldbe · 01/04/2025 13:46

If you leave our company and we are asked for a reference we have to ask you to consent to us giving you a reference. Ours is a basic yes they were employed from this date to that date.

PhilippaGeorgiou · 01/04/2025 14:10

TeenLifeMum · 01/04/2025 13:26

Guidance that used to say you had to give sickness records/details. You are now not supposed to give that. (As a manager and recruiter it really concerns me but to do with equality.)

Show quote history

Not according to ACAS - https://www.acas.org.uk/providing-a-job-reference/what-employers-can-say-in-a-reference

What employers can say in a reference - Job references - Acas

What employers can and cannot say in a job reference, and when references can be discriminatory.

https://www.acas.org.uk/providing-a-job-reference/what-employers-can-say-in-a-reference

TeenLifeMum · 01/04/2025 14:22

PhilippaGeorgiou · 01/04/2025 14:10

Show quote history

It’s a minefield with the discrimination law. So, yes you can say but there’s a lot you have to omit.

ShhhhhItsASurprise · 01/04/2025 14:53

TeenLifeMum · 01/04/2025 13:26

Guidance that used to say you had to give sickness records/details. You are now not supposed to give that. (As a manager and recruiter it really concerns me but to do with equality.)

Show quote history

What guidance? (Have just run this past our employment lawyer who has no clue what you’re referring to.)

ShhhhhItsASurprise · 01/04/2025 14:56

TeenLifeMum · 01/04/2025 14:22

It’s a minefield with the discrimination law. So, yes you can say but there’s a lot you have to omit.

Show quote history

It isn’t. There really isn’t much to omit. Only that related to a disability or parental leave. Neither of which appear to apply to the OP.

TeenLifeMum · 01/04/2025 15:02

ShhhhhItsASurprise · 01/04/2025 14:56

It isn’t. There really isn’t much to omit. Only that related to a disability or parental leave. Neither of which appear to apply to the OP.

Show quote history

My employer’s guidance is to omit all sickness from references (very large nhs hospital trust). I can only speak from my own experience.

SandrenaIsMyBloodType · 01/04/2025 15:14

Could you reply to the former employer’s request for consent with something like “I give my consent for a factual reference confirming my job title and dates of employment to be provided”. Then you have not actually consented to them providing any other information and they may well ask for further consent if that is what they are intending but they may well just provide the factual reference.

StringersBell · 01/04/2025 15:16

I have one past employer who requires my consent - directly from me - to give references. Just dates and leaving date, but I have to contact them personally each time to give this consent (due to contracting I’ve moved a few times in last few years). So it’s not unheard of and they may just have changed their rules since your colleagues left.

caringcarer · 01/04/2025 15:32

I thought they can give basic factual information eg X has worked for this company for 3 years, 4 months and 11 days. In the last 365 days X has has 69 days sickness absence. Iyswim they can't say X has been off dock with ABC illness for 35 days, then DEF illness for 11 days followed by GHI for 9 days.

ShhhhhItsASurprise · 01/04/2025 17:00

TeenLifeMum · 01/04/2025 15:02

My employer’s guidance is to omit all sickness from references (very large nhs hospital trust). I can only speak from my own experience.

Show quote history

Well, then it may be best to say that. Because you suggested it applied to all.

ShhhhhItsASurprise · 01/04/2025 17:00

caringcarer · 01/04/2025 15:32

I thought they can give basic factual information eg X has worked for this company for 3 years, 4 months and 11 days. In the last 365 days X has has 69 days sickness absence. Iyswim they can't say X has been off dock with ABC illness for 35 days, then DEF illness for 11 days followed by GHI for 9 days.

Re-read the post. It would be unwise to share specific last but they could go further than the aggregated data.

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