Hello!
I've always worked at big companies and organisations but am now moving into a very small charity. They don't have a dedicated HR department....
They have sent my current and previous employer a very detailed reference request. I got a call from my former boss (who I am friends with) who said that she didn't think the reference request was asking questions you can legally ask. The HR person there (who I am also still friends with) contacted me to agree. Anyway, former boss offered to answer what she could as a personal reference and HR gave the standard over.
My current company are being very cagey. My boss also agrees that they are asking very strange questions. However she has asked me not to speak to HR directly about it and is the go-between. Today she said they would supply the standard reference template rather than answer their questions. I've had to explicitly ask my manager whether this will come with an explaination and she said she would pass the message on.
I don't particularly get on with my current boss - she joined earlier this year. I'm not keen on everything going through her....essentially I asked for my three month notice period to be reduced and she told me she would ask our Head of HR. I was then told that Head of HR had declined. However, in conversation with Head of HR I mentioned I understood the reasons....and she had never been asked. So I certainly don't trust her.
Do you think getting a basic reference would put a small charity off?
I have to say....I've emailed new employer twice since Friday to arrange some things and I haven't heard anything back from them.