Giving a professional reference

[katralla]

If you get a form asking you to be a reference for someone who's a two-faced, talks-out-her-arse, trouble making cow, what are you supposed to do? Like, the form says "How long have you known this person?" obviously you can just put how long you've known them, but for questions like "Are they of trustworthy character and able to perform the duties of this role?" I wouldn't want to put- no they talk out there arse and make up tall stories all the time, coz the girl can't tell truth from bullshit in her own mind. It's libel isn't it? If you stop someoen from getting a job but without being able to prove the allegations? So, is the best course of action to write "no comment" or what?

[purplebutterfly]

If you want to give a bad refernce just write no comment at the bits such as the trustworthy questions. The new employers should pick up on it, if someone was good at their job and you'd liked them you'd say so.

[katralla]

No comment does seem the best way forward, but are there any legal implications for writing/not writing stuff?

[Scary Monster]

There's non for not writing stuff, I guess there might be something on the libel lines if you wrote something untrue.

I'd be tempted to go for some non descript random vague comment rather than a one liner.

Does the person still work for/with you? Might be worth writing something good enough to get rid of them if they do.