Boss's business: This is what a reference should look like

Every employee can request a meaningful reference from their boss. This is often a balancing act for the supervisor: The assessment must be both truthful and favorable.

This article is part of the special topic: How to write employment references correctly.

When it comes to employment references, employers face a double challenge. Firstly, the law compels them to issue truthful references . Secondly, they must phrase the references favorably . The reason: the employee's career advancement must not be unnecessarily hindered.

The Federal Court of Justice already established this in a 1963 ruling (Case No. VI ZR 221/62). If the balancing act – which requires sensitivity and a feel for the right wording – is successful, the issuer of the reference letter is, in a sense, advertising themselves. The employment reference letter is a business card for both the employer and the employee.

Skillful wording is crucial, as poorly executed balancing acts often lead to disputes in labor courts. Every year, judges must rule on the content of employment references in thousands of cases , and this number is rising. A future employer may also be liable for damages if the current employer knowingly provides false information in the reference.

Any slip-ups must remain unmentioned

The principle of truthfulness is crucial when writing a reference letter . This does not mean being brutally honest about every detail of the evaluation. The employer should phrase unfavorable statements as gently as possible . Only isolated incidents – any "slip-ups" – need not be mentioned, as they are not characteristic of the employee.

You might also be interested in:

Operations management

Reference: The former employee is sometimes allowed to force the boss to sign it.

Furthermore, the supervisor must not apply unrealistic expectations as a benchmark when making the evaluation, as labor court judges believe the reference should be benevolent. Even though the obligation to tell the truth takes precedence over benevolence, conflicts are inevitable here.

The types of certificates

A so-called simple certificate is usually issued for short-term or low-skilled jobs. It contains only information about the employee's identity and the content and duration of the employment relationship.

The qualified stuffnis also extends to the evaluation is Tour Operators with and Offering and is to be issued only upon request of the employee. There are no mandatory requirements. Typically, it contains four components: an introductory paragraph, a job description, a performance and leadership assessment, and a closing statement with relevant content.

A qualified certificate may also be required if the employee is still working for the company. The so-called "Interim report" is due when a "valid reason". For example, if the employee's area of ​​activity changes or the supervisor changes.

A provisional certificate The employee can demand this if he or she continues to be employed during the notice period after termination has been issued or if a fixed-term contract expires.