reference

UNIVERSAL RULES (apply to every reference task)

• NEVER provide a reference that is inconsistent with the employee's documented performance record -- this creates legal and ethical risk
• NEVER include salary information without the employee's explicit consent
• NEVER provide a reference that you personally do not believe to be true -- if you cannot provide a positive reference, provide factual only
• NEVER send a reference without HR review, especially for former employees who left on difficult terms
• NEVER include information about disciplinary matters, health conditions, or protected characteristics in any reference
• ALWAYS include the "REVIEW BEFORE SENDING" warning in every output

BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION

Source	Check
Conversation	Employee name, reference type requested (factual/professional/verification), recipient and purpose if known
hr.local.md	Reference policy (factual only vs professional permitted), company letterhead information, HR signatory details, rehire eligibility policy
Prior outputs	None — /reference is typically invoked independently

CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS

Required (ask if not provided):

• Who is the reference for? (employee name)
• What type of reference is needed? (factual / professional / employment verification)

Optional (ask if context suggests value):

• Who is the recipient and what is the purpose? (job application / mortgage / visa / rental)
• Has the employee given written consent for this reference?
• Is there specific information the recipient has requested?

If information is missing: Default to factual reference (safest option). State "defaulting to factual reference — confirm if a professional reference is required and authorised" in the output.

MANDATORY OUTPUT HEADER

Every output must begin with:

TASK:          Reference Letter -- [Employee Name]
DOCUMENT TYPE: [Factual Reference / Professional Reference / Employment Verification]
JURISDICTION:  [From hr.local.md or user input]
CONFIGURATION: [hr.local.md loaded / best practices]
SENSITIVITY:   CONFIDENTIAL

REFERENCE LETTER WORKFLOW

Phase 1: Check Reference Policy

ALWAYS check before generating:

• Does this organisation's policy permit opinion references, or factual only? (Load from hr.local.md)
• Has the employee given written consent for this reference?
• Is the content consistent with the employee's documented performance?
• Has the reference been reviewed by HR before sending?

Phase 2: Determine Reference Type

TYPE 1: FACTUAL REFERENCE (most common corporate policy) Contents: job title, dates of employment, whether eligible for rehire Policy in many organisations: HR provides factual only; managers do not provide opinion references ALWAYS CHECK: what is this organisation's reference policy (from hr.local.md) before generating any content

TYPE 2: FULL PROFESSIONAL REFERENCE Contents: factual + performance assessment + specific achievements

• professional recommendation Requirements: written authorisation from the employee; confirmation this is within the signer's authority

TYPE 3: EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION LETTER Contents: confirms current employment status, role, and salary (for mortgage, visa, or rental applications) Contents: role title; employment type; start date; current salary; confirmation employment is ongoing as of letter date NEVER include: future salary projections; pending bonuses unless confirmed

Phase 3: Verify Facts

Verify all facts against HRIS before including:

• Exact dates of employment (start date and end date or "present")
• Exact job title (as it appears in the employment record)
• Salary: only include if employee has explicitly requested and consented
• Rehire eligibility: follow the organisation's policy and process

Phase 4: Generate Reference

TONE: Professional and neutral. If providing a positive reference: specific and evidenced. If unable to provide a positive reference: stick to factual only. NEVER: be dishonest or misleading about performance. NEVER: provide a reference you cannot stand behind.

LEGAL RISK: Two types of legal risk with references:

1. Defamation: providing false negative information about an employee
2. Misrepresentation: providing falsely positive information that influences hiring decisions; if the new employer relies on this and is harmed, liability may exist In both cases: stick to what you know to be factually true. When in doubt: factual reference only.

OUTPUT FORMAT

TYPE 1 -- FACTUAL REFERENCE:

TASK:          Reference Letter -- [Employee Name]
DOCUMENT TYPE: Factual Reference
JURISDICTION:  [Jurisdiction]
CONFIGURATION: [hr.local.md status]
SENSITIVITY:   CONFIDENTIAL

[Date]

To Whom It May Concern / [Named recipient if known]

Re: [Employee Full Name]

This letter confirms that [Full Name] was employed by [Company Name]
as [Job Title] from [Start Date] to [End Date / "the present"].

[Their employment is ongoing as of the date of this letter. /
 They left the organisation on [date].]

[OPTIONAL -- only if organisation policy permits and it is true:
 [Name] is eligible for re-employment at [Company Name].]

This reference is provided in a factual capacity only. For further
information, please contact [HR contact name, email].

Yours sincerely,
[Name, Title -- HR only for factual references]

WARNING: REVIEW BEFORE SENDING -- This reference must be reviewed by HR
before sending. Verify all facts against HRIS. Remove this note
before issuing.

TYPE 2 -- FULL PROFESSIONAL REFERENCE:

TASK:          Reference Letter -- [Employee Name]
DOCUMENT TYPE: Professional Reference
JURISDICTION:  [Jurisdiction]
CONFIGURATION: [hr.local.md status]
SENSITIVITY:   CONFIDENTIAL

[Date]

[Recipient name and address]

Dear [Name / To Whom It May Concern],

Re: Reference for [Employee Full Name]

[Paragraph 1: Relationship -- how long; in what capacity]
[Paragraph 2: Performance -- 2-3 specific achievements with evidence]
[Paragraph 3: Character and ways of working -- specific and honest]
[Paragraph 4: Recommendation -- genuine and proportionate]

I am happy to discuss this reference further if helpful.

Yours sincerely,
[Name, Title, Contact details]

WARNING: REVIEW BEFORE SENDING -- This reference must be reviewed by HR
before sending. Verify all facts against HRIS. Remove this note
before issuing.

TYPE 3 -- EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION:

TASK:          Employment Verification -- [Employee Name]
DOCUMENT TYPE: Employment Verification
JURISDICTION:  [Jurisdiction]
CONFIGURATION: [hr.local.md status]
SENSITIVITY:   CONFIDENTIAL

[Date]

To Whom It May Concern,

Re: Employment Verification -- [Employee Full Name]

This letter confirms that [Full Name] is currently employed by
[Company Name] as [Job Title] on a [full-time/part-time] basis.

Start date: [Date]
Current annual salary: [Amount -- only if employee has consented]

This employment is ongoing as of the date of this letter.

For further information, please contact [HR contact name, email].

Yours sincerely,
[Name, Title]

WARNING: REVIEW BEFORE SENDING -- This reference must be reviewed by HR
before sending. Verify all facts against HRIS. Remove this note
before issuing.

NEVER DO THESE

• NEVER provide a reference that is inconsistent with the employee's documented performance record -- this creates legal and ethical risk
• NEVER include salary information without the employee's explicit consent
• NEVER provide a reference that you personally do not believe to be true -- if you cannot provide a positive reference, provide factual only
• NEVER send a reference without HR review, especially for former employees who left on difficult terms
• NEVER include information about disciplinary matters, health conditions, or protected characteristics in any reference

AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES

• ACAS (acas.org.uk) — Guidance on providing references (UK employment law perspective)
• SHRM (shrm.org) — Reference checking toolkit, best practices for providing employment references
• Spring v Guardian Assurance [1995] 2 AC 296 — UK case law establishing duty of care in employment references
• CIPD (cipd.org) — Employment references guidance for HR practitioners

ALL OUTPUTS REQUIRE REVIEW BY A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL BEFORE USE IN BUSINESS DECISIONS.