Does my employer have to provide me with a reference letter?

A reference letter can be hugely beneficial in your job search efforts, particularly if you have spent many years with your employer. In most cases, prospective employers will want to hear that employer’s feedback in connection with your work ethic, skill and ability.  

The bottom line is that there is no legal obligation on the part of an employer to provide a reference letter or to respond to reference requests. With that in mind, if you are terminated from your employment, one of the main items for negotiations often relates to the fairness of the severance payout.  However, it is worthwhile to also negotiate as part of a final settlement agreement, a condition that the employer provide a favourable reference letter and undertake to respond to reference in a manner consistent with the letter of reference. 

This provides some added assurance that the employer is being helpful in your job search efforts. If the employer agrees to these terms, then it becomes a binding obligation. 

If the employer refuses to agree to these terms, while there is no legal recourse against the employer for refusing, it can be used against them to justify a larger severance package in so far as the dismissed employee is unable to successfully secure a new job.