The WRC recommended that a childcare provider consent to the release of an unredacted job reference to a former worker who said a job offer was withdrawn after the reference was supplied. The recommendation was dated 8 November 2023.
The worker said she had not received a copy of the questionnaire the provider completed for a prospective employer. She was concerned its contents could affect future applications. The provider said it completed the questionnaire in good faith, returned it to the prospective employer and did not keep a copy because it wanted to protect confidential information about other staff.
The officer noted the worker had been told that one of her references had let her down. The provider’s board declined to consent to releasing the document, but offered to speak with the prospective employer. The officer accepted the worker’s anxiety and found that receiving the unredacted reference was the only way for her to move forward.
The WRC recommended that the provider write to the prospective employer to confirm its consent to release the document to the worker.