8340 - PROVIDING A REFERENCE

An administrator may choose whether to provide a letter of reference or to respond to requests for verification of employment. Any such letter or response shall be consistent with the provisions below.

Administrators who choose to provide a letter of reference, when asked, for any District employee or former employee shall adhere to the following when preparing such a letter:

1. The request should be reduced to writing and submitted with enough lead time to allow a timely response.

2. The letter of reference shall include only statements that are truthful and factual, and substantiated by the administrator’s first-hand knowledge of the employee or former employee and/or the employee or former employee’s personnel file. When drafting the letter, the administrator should include the following:

   1. A description of the position that the administrator holds as well as the position to which the employee or former employee is or was assigned in the District, and the period of time upon which the administrator’s comments are based.

   2. The duties assigned to the employee or former employee, and the manner in which s/he performed those duties and responsibilities. Any and all comments pertaining to the employee or former employee’s job performance shall be based upon direct knowledge by the administrator and/or comments contained within employee or former employee’s performance evaluations.

   3. If appropriate, the letter may also describe any additional duties or assignments of the employee or former employee, such as extra-curricular or co-curricular assignment, and the manner in which the employee or former employee performed those duties and responsibilities.

3. The letter of reference shall not include any of the following:

   1. statements that the administrator knows to be untrue;

   2. statements made in bad faith;

   3. statements that are motivated by anger, grudges, jealousy, resentment, or ill will toward the employee or former employee;

   4. statements that include exaggerations; or

   5. statements that are based upon incomplete investigations involving the employee or former employee;

4. In all cases a copy of any letter of reference provided by an administrator for a District employee or former employee shall be filed in the employee or former employee’s personnel file.

An administrator who prepares a letter of reference or provides an employment reference pursuant to this policy, is prohibited from assisting a District employee, contractor or agent in obtaining a new job if s/he knows or has reasonable cause to believe that such District employee, contractor or agent engaged in sexual misconduct regarding a minor or student in violation of State or Federal law.  “Assisting” does not include the routine transmission of administrative and personnel files.  The only exceptions permitted are those authorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act, such as where the matter has been investigated by law enforcement and the matter was officially closed due to lack of probable cause or where the individual was acquitted or otherwise exonerated of the alleged misconduct.

© Neola 2018