A structure for a factual, fair reference letter for a current or former employee.
A reference helps a good employee take the next step. It should also be accurate, since misleading references can create problems for the writer and the company.
Some companies only confirm dates and job title. Follow your policy, and when in doubt, keep to verifiable facts.
10 items. Use it on screen, or print it and fill it in by hand.
A restaurant manager writes for a server who worked there for two years and applies to be a shift lead elsewhere. The letter confirms dates and role, notes that she trained new servers and handled Friday closing, and offers a phone number for questions.
References that stick to facts reduce the risk of a defamation claim, while hiding a known safety issue can, in some states, lead to a claim of negligent referral. In childcare, where the next employer runs background checks, dates and duties that match the records keep the letter credible.
| Writer | Diane, center director, Willow Creek Daycare, Sioux Falls |
|---|---|
| Dates and title | Aug 2022 to Jun 2025, lead toddler teacher |
| Responsibilities | Room of 10 toddlers, two assistants, daily parent reports |
| Strength 1 | Calm with parents; explained the new late-pickup rule at the door |
| Strength 2 | Planned the room’s sensory play program |
| Reliability | Two missed scheduled shifts in three years, per time records |
| Consent and contact | Amber’s written request May 30; (605) 555-0179 |
Diane gives the attendance figure only because it comes from time records and Amber asked for a reliability statement. Each strength has a concrete example a childcare director would recognize.
Usually not, unless your policy or law says so.
Only if accurate and fair. Get advice first.
Either. Keep notes of phone references.
Do not mention them.
Usually leave it out. Pay is the employee’s information to share, and many states and cities bar new employers from asking applicants about past pay, so including it can put the reader in an awkward spot. Confirm pay only if the employee asks you to in writing.
Check your policy first, since many businesses send all references through HR. If a personal letter is allowed, the manager should say clearly that it gives their own view, not the company’s, and stick to what they saw firsthand.
More for the same job
Employees can fill in and sign forms like this in the EZTime app, and the signed copy lands in their digital employee file.