Carrie phoned an applicant's former supervisor for a reference. The supervisor refuses to give any information about the former employee. What mistake may Carrie have made?
A) She did not get a signed consent form from the applicant releasing the former supervisor from liability.
B) She limited her request for information to dates of employment, positions held, and the applicant's previous job title rather than asking for particular examples of good or poor performance.
C) She contacted the supervisor by phone rather than in writing or via email, thus opening the supervisor to a charge of slander by the applicant.
D) Former supervisors rarely provide useful information, so it is not an effective use of Carrie's time to pursue this contact.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Carrie may have made the mistake of not obtaining a signed consent form from the applicant, which would release the supervisor from any liability for giving a reference. Without this form, the supervisor may be hesitant to provide any information about the former employee due to the risk of being sued.

Carrie Phoned an Applicant's Former Supervisor for a Reference