What are the drawbacks to giving a former employee a negative reference?

Question by Lauren Em: What are the drawbacks to giving a former employee a negative reference?

My family owns a small business. I get calls often from potential employers who want references for our former employees. I love to give good references when they're deserved, but my father insists on NEVER giving a negative reference--even when we know the employee in question was awful. I think he's afraid of legal repercussions, but as long as you're telling the truth about the person's work performance, isn't it better to be honest?
I'm talking about if they were chronically late, didn't follow instructions, didn't have skills they claimed to have on their resumes, etc.--not gigantic accusations like theft or drug use or auto accidents, etc.




Best answer:

Answer by kate
Depends ,
Do you have the documents to back up the neg reference if you find them suing you ?
If you have the documents to win in court , go ahead .

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