I'm also curious how others are handling this.  Our Human Resources
office recently told us that all requests for references should be
forwarded to their office where they simply will verify dates of
employment.  I thought the policy applied to only unsolicited reference
requests, but they said it also applies to willingly serving as
references for exemplary former employees.  If all of our former
employers are eventually restricted in this way, will any of us have
references?  Will references cease to be required since they are no
longer meaningful?

Wouldn't it be acceptable to serve as a personal reference, instead of
an "employment reference"?  What if I made contact outside of work hours
and spoke of my personal contact with this former employee?  Do others
see a distinction here?

Colleen E. Smith
Head of Technical Services
Albany Law School
Albany, New York
Phone: 518-445-2341
email: csmit@mail.als.edu