Nurse with 20 years experience: employee references?

i worked with a company for 5 years nursing, prior to my current 2 year hospital career. i recently found out that the human resource manager gave me a bad reference. she hated me, however, on my employee evaluations, i did exellent and my supervisor loved me and suggested a raise. i feel i look like a fool. my current supervisor laughs, but, i know she had to have reservations about hiring me. i want to contact the administrator and tell him what the human resource manager did. what do u think?

I say, i would clear it up, go to your former supervisor and get copies of your evaluations, work history and a letter disputing what is in your file. Take the information to the Administrator and get a revised evaluation placed in your file. With the shortage of nurses, it is doubtful you will ever have a problem, if you choose to change jobs, however for your own satisfaction i would pursue it!!

Jump in,feet first!

go a head do it and please tell us how far you go.

Let it go, you will justlook defensive. Your new supervisor will make up her own mind about you. She is most likely bright enough to see that the poor reference wasnot an accurate picture of your abilities. Most employers will only confirm dates of employment, without comment, for this very reason.

Write the HR Administrator and request a copy of every item in your employee file. The company will probably charge you a fee for the copies, but it is worth it if you ever have to sue.

Then get a disinterested third party (like a co-worker) to call and check your references. There are also companies that will check your references for you for this reason. Have them write down everything asked and answered, then get their statement notarized. This person will need to be willing to testify if you ever go to court over it.

Take the statement to the administrator and tell them that things such as this can bring about lawsuits.

Most companies will put a stop to this immediately. I can't believe an HR person could be so stupid as to give an unjustified bad reference, the potential for lawsuits is huge.

Your telling your former adminster should put a stop to it.