Most employers seek references for all prospective employees by way of a factual check on a candidate's employment history, qualifications and experience and in order to obtain an assessment of their performance and character from their previous employer. However, the risk of ill-judged or inaccurate comments resulting in legal action has caused many employers as a matter of policy to provide only bare references specifying job title, length of service and leaving salary and to decline the provision of any further facts or expression of opinion. This growing gap between the information employers are willing to give and the information they want to receive, alongside the obvious adverse consequences for employees where an existing or former employer declines to provide a reference, continues to cause much confusion. So what are an employer's responsibilities when they are asked for a reference?