Staff member unhappy with reference

[HallFloor]

My staff member has had an job offer withdrawn due to "unsatisfactory references".

Believe me, I am not going to anythign to jepodise this woman leaving. I wrote a factual, positive reference. She's OK at her job, when she's there. I've shown her the reference, but she doesn't believe that's the one I sent. The prospective employer won't shown her the problematic reference or tell her what the issue is.

The only thing I can think is that it's to do with the attendance data, which was sent separately by HR, with her permission, which is usual in our industry.

Her attendance is poor, but she manages to keep just the right side of the triggers. She's refusing to accept it's bad enough to have had the offer withdrawn, as it's not bad enough for the triggers to manage it here.

I've had enough of her TBH, but I'm trying very hard not to let that show. I'm never getting rid of her, am I?

Tell her to fuck off.

How can she expect to get a job if her attendance is bad?

The whole point of being employed is to.....BE THERE.

If she hassles you, launch a grievance on her and advise HR of her harassment.

Sounds like she could do with being fired!!

FWIW OP, you didn't need to show her the reference. References are covered under an exemption under GDPR for confidentiality reasons, so she had no right to see it, either from the new employer or from you.

Do her absences relate to a long term condition or disability?

I'm sure you're not stupid enough to tell her to fuck off. That would mean you on a disciplinary!

Just "manage her out".
Poor attendance by just staying outside the trigger points is a red flag for me. They are literally taking the piss!

I'd respond "I've shown you a copy of the reference. The company also received your attendance data. I am unsure as to why you are making your performance, or lack thereof, my problem?"

If you want her to leave you'll have to give her a good reference.

I would try to see if there is a pattern to her absences. I know someone who also kept their absences just below the triggering limit, but was outed by a smart manager who realised that she always had absences on the weekend closest to significant dates, her birthday, her partners birthday, her mother’s birthday , her child’s birthday, before or after a bank holiday. They put together a couple of years worth of highlighted absences and said if they happened again they would trigger a disciplinary. She left shortly afterwards.

Is she a bit thick? Of course it will be due to her attendance, how long will it take for her poor record to clear?

Can you get a copy from HR and highlight how companies view sickness records? It might prove a motivation for her to clear her record before she goes.

Play innocent- "gosh, I don't know why that happened. I sent the reference you saw. Did you have any other references? Could it have been your low attendance that caused the problem? I wonder what they were concerned about?"

I’m so glad we don’t “do” references in my industry; just a factual paragraph from HR: “X worked for [company] between [date] and [date]” - takes all the angst and drama out of it.

Sympathies, OP. All you can do is just repeat calmly “I have shown you the reference I sent the company, I cannot help you more on this; please refer to HR if you are unhappy” then ignore her.

Though tbh in my industry as well keeping just this side of triggers can be enough of a pattern in itself sometimes to initiate a disciplinary.