Lauri F. Rasnick, Member of the Firm in the Employment, Labor, and Workforce Management practice, in the firm’s New York office, was quoted in SHRM, in “Follow Rules of the Road for Limited-Reference Policies,” by Allen Smith.

Following is an excerpt:

Limited-reference policies can help employers limit liability, even though managers and co-workers sometimes ignore the policies to help colleagues get new positions. Consistent enforcement of the policies is imperative if they are to be of any value. Here are other do's and don'ts with limited-reference policies. …

Do's

Lauri Rasnick, an attorney with Epstein Becker Green in New York City, said employers with limited-reference policies should:

  • Identify the department or title of the person who will handle references.
  • Specify what information may be provided.
  • Consider providing confirmation of titles and dates of employment and, with authorization from the job seeker, compensation information.

Rasnick cautioned that limited-reference policies should apply to social media comments as well as conversations. ... 

Don'ts

Don't have references include subjective opinions or descriptions—only facts, Rasnick said. And don't provide extraneous information that the entity isn't seeking, she added.

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