POLICIES AND PROCEDURES |Human Resources | 5.7 Privacy | 5.7.2 Employment Reference Check



Employment Reference Check

Prospective Employees

The Human Resources Administrator is responsible for checking references for prospective employees prior to the making of an offer of employment and completion of the staffing process.  Procedures to be used in checking references are as follows.

  1. Ensure that the applicant has granted consent for employment references to be contacted. The release of information authorization is part of the employment application and is available on line or from the Human Resources Office.
  2. Contact the applicant’s most recent employers and complete a Telephone Reference Check form for each employer.  The number of forms completed varies according to the applicant’s work experience, but at least three references should be obtained if possible.  References should include former supervisors identified on the application form, former coworkers, or the former employer’s Human Resources Office.
  3. Check references prior to inviting an applicant for an interview if the applicant has to travel a considerable distance at his/her own expense.
  4. Be alert for any information a reference provides, or fails to provide, that may signal a possible problem in the applicant’s work history.  Any such concerns should be noted and discussed with the appropriate personnel.
  5. References will be treated as confidential information and will be filed accordingly.

Former Employees

All requests for references from former employees or employees who are leaving or have left the employment of the college will be referred to the Human Resources Office.  The Human Resources Administrator responds to the reference request after consultation with the appropriate vice-president.  Procedures for handling such requests are as follows:


  1. Letters of reference indicate only the dates of service, titles or descriptions of positions held, and eligibility for reemployment unless the employee has signed a release authorizing the college to provide additional reference information upon request.
  2. If no release is available for a former employee about whom an employer is requesting a reference, the employer is asked to obtain a written release before any reference information is provided.
  3. Employees leaving the employment of the college are asked to sign a release form authorizing the college to respond to requests for reference information.  This release is completed as part of the clearance process and may include agreement as to the content of such reference information. 

The Human Resources Office will maintain personnel files of current and past employees.  The Human Resources Administrator is the designated custodian of both full time and part time employee files.