Requesting employment references

For applications for Essex vacancies

Employment references are used to obtain information from a third party to check on a candidate’s employment history, experience and their suitability for the post in question.

Any offer of employment for roles that are Positions of Trust, Grades 8-11 (University of Essex contract), Band G- K (UECS contract) and Academic/Research posts are subject to the receipt of references satisfactory to the University.

A contract of employment will only be issued once the hiring manager has agreed that a candidate’s references are acceptable.

The Resourcing Team will usually request references for Academic/Research posts prior to interview (also for some senior Professional Services posts) for all shortlisted candidates. For all other posts, references will be requested once an offer of employment has been made and permission from the candidate has been given.

If an unsatisfactory reference is received, this will be discussed with the hiring manager, and the Resourcing Team will undertake further investigations.

For employment references for employees at Essex, past and present

Verification of your employment at Essex may be needed for a variety of reasons. This could be for a job application at another organisation, for verifying your income for rental or mortgage applications, or to prove your employment details for a visa application etc.

Requests for employment details should be directed, or forwarded on, to staffing@essex.ac.uk and not completed by managers. This is because, in accordance with our employment reference process, there is only certain information that we can, and should, be providing.

The Employee Relations Team can issue these employment references either directly to the individual, or a third party who has sent in a request. To send the information to a third party, we will need to see consent from the individual to be able to release the employment details.

The standard letter that is issued will confirm your:

• job title
• department worked in
• employment dates
• type of employment contract
• current salary (if applicable/ needed)

These factual and verifiable details are the extent of the information that we can confirm. If there are further details required for visa applications, the Right to Work team may be able to assist further.

Further support

For further advice, contact your Resourcing Adviser.