¶¶ÒõÊÓƵ

Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR: Key legislation governing personal data processing. Requires lawful and fair processing, consent for data sharing, accuracy of information, and data minimization principles when providing references.

Equality Act 2010: Ensures references are non-discriminatory and prevents discrimination based on protected characteristics. Requires maintaining objective and fair assessment standards in reference writing.

Defamation Act 2013: Ensures all statements in references are truthful and accurate, protecting against libel claims. Requires factual basis for any opinions expressed in the reference.

Employment Rights Act 1996: Establishes duty of care towards current/former employees and the obligation to provide references that are true, accurate and fair.

Common Law Duty of Care: Requires reasonable care in reference preparation, establishing responsibility to both subject and recipient. Includes avoiding negligent misstatement.

Institutional Policies: Reference must comply with internal policies of both the employer providing the reference and the university receiving it.

Professional Body Requirements: Where applicable, references must meet standards set by relevant professional bodies or regulatory organizations.

Confidentiality Obligations: Must maintain appropriate confidentiality while providing necessary information, balancing transparency with privacy requirements.

Subject Access Rights: Consider the subject's right to access reference content under data protection legislation.