# Reference Letter: [Candidate name]

> A factual, fair reference or recommendation letter for a current or
> former employee, colleague or student: how you know the person,
> verified facts about their role, evidence-based observations and a
> clear recommendation, plus a data protection checklist. Based on
> common employment practice, with UK Acas and ICO guidance as dated
> examples. Replace every `[bracketed]` value and every line marked
> *Example*. This is a letter format, not legal advice: check your
> organisation's reference policy and the law where you work.

<!--
Guidance: How to use this template
- Check your organisation's reference policy first. Many employers
  allow only HR to give references, or limit them to dates and job
  title (a "factual reference"). Write a personal recommendation only
  where policy allows it, and say whether you write for the
  organisation or in a personal capacity.
- Write only what you can support with evidence. Acas guidance says
  details in a reference must be fair and accurate, opinions need
  evidence behind them, and a reference must not be misleading,
  include irrelevant personal information or discriminate.
- Do not mention health, disability, pregnancy, religion, trade union
  membership or other protected or sensitive details, and leave out
  unproven allegations.
- Related templates: Performance Self-Assessment
  (`career/performance-review`), Brag Document
  (`career/brag-document`), Resignation Letter
  (`career/resignation-letter`).
-->

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Requested by | [Organisation, contact, date of request] |
| Candidate's permission confirmed | [Yes, YYYY-MM-DD] |
| Type | [Factual (employer) / Personal recommendation] |
| Given in confidence? | [Yes / No] |
| Sent | YYYY-MM-DD |

## 1. Letter

[Your name]
[Job title, organisation]
[Contact details]

[Date: YYYY-MM-DD]

[Recipient name, organisation]

Reference for [candidate name]

Dear [Recipient name],

I am writing in response to your request of [date] for a reference for
[candidate name], who has applied for the role of [role] with you. I
write in my capacity as [their line manager / colleague / tutor at
organisation] [on behalf of / in a personal capacity, not on behalf of]
[organisation].

**Relationship and facts.** [Candidate name] worked at [organisation]
as [job title] from [MM/YYYY] to [MM/YYYY or present]. I [managed /
worked alongside] them for [N months or years]. Their main
responsibilities were [two or three responsibilities].

**Observations.** [Two or three short paragraphs on skills and
behaviours relevant to the new role, each with a specific example you
observed. Distinguish what you saw yourself from what you heard.]

**Recommendation.** [Clear statement, for example: I recommend them
for this role without reservation / for roles involving X.]

I am happy to answer questions about the facts in this letter at
[contact].

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

*Example (fictional):* Daniel Osei, Engineering Manager at Larkspur
Analytics, writes a personal recommendation for Tomas Lindqvist, a
former engineer on his team whom he managed from 03/2024 to 08/2026. He
cites one result he observed: Tomas rebuilt the team's test pipeline
and cut the average build time from 22 to 9 minutes. He states that he writes in a personal
capacity, as company policy limits official references to dates and
job title.

## 2. Fairness and data protection checklist

<!-- Guidance: General information as of October 2026, not legal advice. -->

- [ ] The candidate agreed to you being contacted and knows what type
  of reference you will give.
- [ ] Every fact (dates, title, results) is checked against records.
- [ ] Opinions rest on examples you observed, and the overall picture
  is fair, not selective.
- [ ] No sensitive or protected characteristics, no unproven allegations.
- [ ] The letter is sent only to the requester, by a secure channel,
  and a copy is kept according to your organisation's retention rules.

Dated pointers:

- **UK:** Acas (page updated 1 October 2026) says employers usually do
  not have to give a reference, except where agreed in writing, for
  certain FCA- or PRA-regulated roles, or in a settlement agreement:
  https://www.acas.org.uk/providing-a-job-reference. The ICO describes an exemption
  for confidential references given or received for employment,
  education and similar purposes, which can limit the candidate's right
  of access to them:
  https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/exemptions/a-guide-to-the-data-protection-exemptions/
- **EU:** a reference contains personal data, so the GDPR applies
  (Regulation (EU) 2016/679): have a lawful basis, keep to accurate and
  relevant facts, and follow national rules, some of which give
  employees a right to a written work certificate. Check national law.
- **US:** no general federal duty to give references; many employers
  limit them by policy, and state laws differ. Check your employer's
  policy and the state concerned.

## Standard and licence note

Based on common employment practice for references, with UK Acas and
ICO guidance checked on 2026-10-30 as dated examples. Not legal advice:
check your organisation's policy and the law where you work. Original
text written for this collection; people and organisations are
fictional. Template licence: MIT.