Plambert:
What’s wrong with being asked to cable tie airlines to get home for a proper fix ? Was it worth walking out?
What you have yo ask yourself is would I have been fined by vosa if they stopped me. If the answer is yes then I shouldn’t have to do it
Not sure it’s much of an issue even if you were stopped is it? But it’s your choice. I guess you put yourself back on the jobs market for a ‘What If’, but as I said it’s your choice. Good luck in hoping your current employer doesn’t follow-up on references - or lack of them.
the ‘incident’ however harmless in principle may be put on file as harassment (depending on who dealt with it)which may bite you in the arse am afraid.
leeyarnold:
Hi I start my new job tomorrow and I received a letter confirming everything. At the end of the letter it said job offer subject to satisfactory references from last 2 employers. I did well with both but left one as I said something that offended a female staff member and the other I left as not happy with their conduct. Both I just quit and never worked my notice. What do you think would happen if I can’t get a good reference but do perform well with the new employer
they cant by law give you a bad reference … all they can and are expected to say are time keeping, appearance etc. I’ve never known a company to actually ask for references.
When asked why left I’ve always put personal reasons and where references are asked I tell the truth that the company and I left on a difference of opinion, also the reference would not possibly a true statement … always offer another reference if you can
Having been in a similar situation, I have learnt that although an employer “shouldn’t” give a bad reference this is often ignored and they do.
I was in a position a few years back when I overheard the store manager giving a phone reference for one of my colleagues in which he stated the guy in question was, Lazy, late all the time, uncooperative and rude to customers. Now having worked with the guy in question for almost 2 years at this point he was the first to raise his hand to help the manager cover holidays etc, was always there in the car park before the manager (i was a warehouse manager and used to open warehouse half hour before the management and staff arrived.
When I asked the manager about this while joking around his reaction was basically ■■■■ him he left me in the ■■■■ so not my problem. I did inform the guy in question but don’t know if anything ever came of it.
I have learnt that its best to avoid burning bridges where you can, leave with notice periods worked if possible.
If a previous employer refuses to give you a reference then it may ring warning bells in the ears of your new boss. However, some companies are increasingly refusing to give references because they’re worried about legal action.
Can my employer give me a bad reference?
Yes and no. Many people mistakenly believe that your boss can’t give you a bad reference by law, but that’s not entirely true…
References just have to be accurate and truthful so if you were disciplined at your last job then they could include that on your reference. However, many employers are scared to give bad references because anything considered to be not 100% accurate could be grounds for legal action. If you find out that you have been unfairly given a bad reference then you could possibly sue.
What can I do if my old employer provides a bad reference?
If you believe your past employer’s reference unfairly harmed your future work prospects you may be able to sue for ‘negligent misstatement’. To do so, you must show that:
The information in the reference is misleading
Providing this misleading information has had a negative effect on your future employment
Your employer was negligent in providing a reference.
Alternatively, if you think there is an element of discrimination involved, you can bring your former employer to an employment tribunal.
nick2008: they cant by law give you a bad reference … all they can and are expected to say are time keeping, appearance etc. I’ve never known a company to actually ask for references.
When asked why left I’ve always put personal reasons and where references are asked I tell the truth that the company and I left on a difference of opinion, also the reference would not possibly a true statement … always offer another reference if you can
working in recruitment the amount I see would suggest otherwise (not that its not illegal but they do send bad ones through), comments such as left due to having no ability not to hit anything is one that springs to mind.
and a new employer isn’t going to say it was bad they.
I’ll bite…
if you work in recruitment, should you not be capable of basic grammar and punctuation?
sorry mate I guess my a in English and a degree isn’t good enough for a truck driver site?
Swampey2418:
If a previous employer refuses to give you a reference then it may ring warning bells in the ears of your new boss. However, some companies are increasingly refusing to give references because they’re worried about legal action.
Can my employer give me a bad reference?
Yes and no. Many people mistakenly believe that your boss can’t give you a bad reference by law, but that’s not entirely true…
References just have to be accurate and truthful so if you were disciplined at your last job then they could include that on your reference. However, many employers are scared to give bad references because anything considered to be not 100% accurate could be grounds for legal action. If you find out that you have been unfairly given a bad reference then you could possibly sue.
What can I do if my old employer provides a bad reference?
If you believe your past employer’s reference unfairly harmed your future work prospects you may be able to sue for ‘negligent misstatement’. To do so, you must show that:
The information in the reference is misleading
Providing this misleading information has had a negative effect on your future employment
Your employer was negligent in providing a reference.
Alternatively, if you think there is an element of discrimination involved, you can bring your former employer to an employment tribunal.
Plambert:
What’s wrong with being asked to cable tie airlines to get home for a proper fix ? Was it worth walking out?
What you have yo ask yourself is would I have been fined by vosa if they stopped me. If the answer is yes then I shouldn’t have to do it
Empty or loaded, to what capacity?
To be honest, if empty, I’d have (and have previously) done it no probs if I had the gear with me, but they really should be sending someone to do that sort of thing these days.
It wouldn’t have bothered VOSA if you were empty / lightly loaded, had filled in a defect / reported it and were returning to base - not continuing doing deliveries / collections.
What a reference does not say often carries more meaning than what it does. Furthermore, as Swampey says above, there is nothing in law to stop a previous employer telling the truth.
I wouldn’t worry about it, it’s standard fare on forms, I don’t think the references or referees I’ve put down have ever been checked, I wouldn’t have got some jobs if they had.
Recently applied for a job that required a crb check & 5 year work history that would definately be checked, put down I’d worked driving class 1 for my mate for five years, got offered the job but my mate has never been contacted.
nick2008:
they cant by law give you a bad reference …
Utter crap. There is no such law, this is just more RDC waiting room bollox. They can give you a bad reference as long as everything included in that reference is factually correct and can be substantiated in a court should you decide to sue them for it.
It is the duty of an employer to provide a factual reference. So in the OPs case they could put “Left job without giving or working notice” and that would be OK because it is factually correct. One could also make mention of the sexist comment made if it was investigated and went through proper disciplinary procedure and the OP had admitted to it.
leeyarnold:
Thanks guys. I am good time keeper very honest and don’t have bumps. My last employer was asking me to cut and tie up airlines to my trailer as airbags had blown and wanted me to drive it back. I refused and resigned instantly
no loss to your employer then if that’s your attitude…unless its a Tosco/agency/beancounter job,surely you would just come and go to help out for the sake of a poxy airbag.run back empty with a sob story in the event of a dig.
leeyarnold:
Thanks guys. I am good time keeper very honest and don’t have bumps. My last employer was asking me to cut and tie up airlines to my trailer as airbags had blown and wanted me to drive it back. I refused and resigned instantly
no loss to your employer then if that’s your attitude…unless its a Tosco/agency/beancounter job,surely you would just come and go to help out for the sake of a poxy airbag.run back empty with a sob story in the event of a dig.
No. You as the driver would have the living hell fined out of you if you were stopped.
Seriously “dog”, you’re a right mug. Your employers really take the ■■■■ out of you and you’re too stupid to work it out. They’ve got you taking all the risks and thinking you’re a top driver for doing it. You’re not a top driver, you’re just the biggest mug in the yard.
leeyarnold:
Thanks guys. I am good time keeper very honest and don’t have bumps. My last employer was asking me to cut and tie up airlines to my trailer as airbags had blown and wanted me to drive it back. I refused and resigned instantly
no loss to your employer then if that’s your attitude…unless its a Tosco/agency/beancounter job,surely you would just come and go to help out for the sake of a poxy airbag.run back empty with a sob story in the event of a dig.
No. You as the driver would have the living hell fined out of you if you were stopped.
Seriously “dog”, you’re a right mug. Your employers really take the ■■■■ out of you and you’re too stupid to work it out. They’ve got you taking all the risks and thinking you’re a top driver for doing it. You’re not a top driver, you’re just the biggest mug in the yard.
My last job was a small company off 6 vans & 1 HGV, the owner got a great offer for the land sold up gave us 7 drivers a great redundancy package & moved to Thailand for a woman 30 years his junior. As this was also my 1st job from leaving school I put it down on the application for Tesco, I knew full well the reference had zero chance of a response, I got the job with Tesco & that was nearly 13 years ago. Guess every company has a different approach to how serious they take a reference. I have seen a reference application with the question “would you re-employ, yes/no” this would be a career defining question…
