Employer reference letter template
An employer reference letter answers a request for a reference about a current or former employee, either as a factual reference or as a full one. A factual reference confirms dates, job titles and the reason for leaving; a full reference adds duties, performance and conduct drawn from the HR file. Attendance is shared only with the employee's written consent, and the letter says it is given in confidence.
Made by DocuWeave. Use at your own discretion.
What changes each time
16 values. Everything else is your wording, kept exactly.
The request
- Who asked
- Date of the request
- Type of reference
The employee
- Full name
- Dates of employment
- Job titles
- Final basic salary
- Reason for leaving
Full reference
- Main duties
- Performance and skills
- Conduct and reliability
- Sickness absence
- Re-employment
- Questions and answers
Sign-off
- Signatory
- Contact
The rules it usually needs
Written in plain English when the template is set up.
- One of several wordings
“Give a factual reference, a factual reference with salary, or a full reference.”
The typed note asked for a full reference, so the letter set out duties, performance and conduct rather than the factual-only wording.
- The AI decides from the paperwork
“Include the attendance paragraph only if this is a full reference and the employee has consented in writing to sharing their absence record.”
The candidate's signed consent form covered her sickness absence for the last 12 months, so the paragraph was included, with that reason shown.
- The AI decides from the paperwork
“Include the re-employment sentence only if the request asks whether we would re-employ them.”
The request asked, and the HR file said yes, so the "happy to re-employ" wording was used. The AI was unsure, so a person confirmed it at review.
- Only when…
“Include the questions table only for a full reference where the request asks specific questions.”
The request asked two questions, so the table had a row for each.
One worked example, start to finish
The employer reference letter in DocuWeave, from upload to approval.
1The document uploaded
The reference letter, a Word file, uploaded as it is.
- 2
The template it became
It found 10 sections and 30 values, and asked 12 questions before publishing. The attendance paragraph appears only when the employee has consented.
3The paperwork dropped in
The HR record summary, the new employer's request, the candidate's consent form and a short typed note.
4What was found, with sources
26 of 26 values filled from the paperwork, each with the passage it came from.
5What it asked
9 things for a person, starting with the employer's name, which the request and the HR record gave differently.
6The approved output
Approved, with Word and PDF downloads.
A free employer reference letter to download
- Employer reference letter, filled with fictional details (Word)
- Employer reference letter, filled with fictional details (PDF)
Use it as it is, or upload it to DocuWeave and make it a template.
DocuWeave is not a law firm. A general template for common situations in England and Wales. It is not tailored to you and we do not update it when the law changes, so check it suits your situation before you use it. Terms.
Made by DocuWeave. Use at your own discretion.
Questions people ask
Does an employer have to give a reference?
Usually not, unless a contract or a regulator requires one. Many employers choose to give factual references only, and this letter has a factual wording for that.
What can an employer say in a reference?
A reference must be true, accurate and fair, and must not give a misleading impression. The full wording here keeps to what is in the HR file and to concluded processes.
Can a reference mention sickness absence?
Health information is special category data, so this letter includes absence only where the employee has consented in writing.
Can the employee see their reference?
A reference given in confidence for employment is exempt from the right of access under data protection law, which is why the letter says it is given in confidence.
Is this suitable for regulated roles?
No. Regulatory references in financial services and safeguarding references for schools and care have their own requirements, which this letter does not cover.
Use this template
It opens in DocuWeave as a template you can check, change and publish. Nothing is used until you do.