Agency Requesting References

[el duder]

Been on a contract for 6 months now, agency has called me requesting references from my last 4 employers stating that i am obliged to give them.

What are my rights here, some of my past contracts have been less then 6 weeks.

Really i am only interested in giving them a minimum of 3 and of the more lengthy contracts i have had.

Thoughts?

[oxtailsoup]

What agency? The one you have been using for the last 6 months or a new one?

[el duder]

What agency? The one you have been using for the last 6 months or a new one?

Yes, on the current contract of 6 months. They did not request any information when i started, now they are requesting info, due to the company i am working for has new policies and procedures.

i have no problem giving refs, but i am interested in knowing my rights as to what information i should and should not disclose.

[boxman]

Do they mean employers or assignments?

If you're a contractor with your own limited company then ask them to write to your office address with a formal request and an authorised representative will consider their request. If such a request is actually forthcoming tell them that you can confirm that you've been working for the company for x years. If they're asking about clients/assignments then quote your company's confidentiality policy to them (i.e. non-disclosure).

If you've been a permie then you can either comply or check the terms of your contract if you feel that you don't want to accede to the reference request. Just be careful that the client isn't angling to get rid of you and is looking for an excuse to terminate. If you've got any contractors on site you might want to quietly sound them out.

As you've been with your client for 6 months already then I'd ask them outright whether this is indeed a change of policy or the agency is just fishing for new contacts to pester. If in doubt call the agency's bluff. If you're doing a good job and the client is happy they're not going to risk losing you at this stage in 99% of cases.

Just my 2p worth...

[tim123]

Yes, on the current contract of 6 months. They did not request any information when i started, now they are requesting info, due to the company i am working for has new policies and procedures.

i have no problem giving refs, but i am interested in knowing my rights as to what information i should and should not disclose.

Ask then "why you are obliged to give them".

I expect that the reason will be "some made up reason that you can tell them to ignore".

tim

[swamp]

From what you've told us the agency is almost certainly talking b*lls**t.

It sounds like a new and aggressive reference trawling technique on newbie (?) contractors. Probably a sign the market is a bit slow (for them).

Tell them "no". End of.

[VectraMan]

now they are requesting info, due to the company i am working for has new policies and procedures.

So they're saying it's for the client? Then say you'll only give them to the client. But I'd bet it isn't.

[Sockpuppet]

Just respond with.

"Sorry I dont have any previous experiance. I winged it past you and the client to land this job and I am learning as I go. Not ****ed up too much either, which makes a change"

[christhecontractor]

Been on a contract for 6 months now, agency has called me requesting references from my last 4 employers stating that i am obliged to give them.

What are my rights here, some of my past contracts have been less then 6 weeks.

Really i am only interested in giving them a minimum of 3 and of the more lengthy contracts i have had.

Thoughts?

The last couple of places I have been at have asked for a full employment history and my adresses for last 10 years, which they used to do a credit check. I don't like it but these procedures seem to be standard now at least in big banks.

[Moscow Mule]

Just respond with.

"Sorry I dont have any previous experiance. I winged it past you and the client to land this job and I am learning as I go. Not ****ed up too much either, which makes a change"