Acas has produced new guidance for employers and employees regarding job references, and it has been compiled with regard to the most frequently asked questions on the Acas helpline.
The guidance explains what references are and provides information on what should be included, when they are required and how to deal with common problems.
Amongst others, the questions that Acas have addressed include whether an employer can put negative things in a reference, whether an employer can refuse to give a reference and whether an employer can include sickness absence rates in a reference.
A link to the guidance can be found here: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5072
