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What to do if…
a former employer is contacting your new workplace without warning

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Ask your new workplace’s HR, or your manager if there is no HR team, to document exactly what was said or sent and to route any further contact about you through HR only. Move the situation into written records so it does not become a dispute about who said what.

Do not do these things

  • Avoid confronting your former employer by phone or in person; use a short written HR channel instead.
  • Do not send angry, insulting, or threatening messages, because they can be forwarded.
  • Do not resign, over-explain to colleagues, or post about it online.
  • Do not assume it was a formal reference; it may have been an informal call or a misunderstanding.
  • Do not hand over personal passwords, devices, or accounts to try to prove anything at work.

What to do now

  1. Get the facts from your new employer and ask them to preserve the record.
    Ask HR, or the hiring manager if there is no HR team: who contacted them, when, how, what exactly was said, and whether anything was saved or added to your file. Ask them to save any email or voicemail and make a short note of any call.

  2. Ask your new employer to close the informal route.
    Say: “Please do not take informal calls about me. If anyone contacts you about me, please route them to HR and ask for it in writing.” This reduces disruption and creates a clearer record.

  3. Check what you already agreed to.
    Look at your offer paperwork, application, screening forms, and any reference-check consent. Save copies. If you have a settlement agreement, an agreed reference, or a standard reference letter from your former employer, locate it now.

  4. If you have an agreed or standard reference, give it to your new employer’s HR.
    Ask HR to use that document for reference purposes. If needed, send your former employer’s HR a copy and briefly say that this is the reference you understand should be used.

  5. Send one short written message to your former employer’s HR.
    Keep it neutral: say you understand someone has contacted your current workplace about you, ask them not to contact individuals at your workplace, and ask that any verification or reference request is handled HR-to-HR and in writing. Ask them to confirm that any reference or information they provide about you will be accurate and fair.

  6. Ask for what can be shared, without relying on seeing everything.
    You can ask your new employer for any emails, notes, call logs, or file notes about this contact. You can also make a subject access request for your personal data, but confidential employment references may be exempt from disclosure under UK GDPR. If they cannot share the reference itself, ask for a general summary of the concern and any non-exempt records they can provide.

  7. Correct only the specific concern.
    Ask your new employer what the actual concern is. Reply with brief, checkable facts such as dates, job title, contract type, agreed reference wording, or documents you already have. Avoid a long account of the whole history.

  8. Get advice before escalating if your job or offer is at risk.
    If the contact is inaccurate, misleading, discriminatory, or puts your job or offer at risk, speak to Acas or get employment law advice before sending stronger letters or making formal allegations.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide today whether to bring a claim, make a formal complaint, or prove everything.
  • You do not need to contact lots of people to set the story straight.
  • You can wait before escalating beyond HR unless the contact continues or your new job is at immediate risk.
  • You can review later whether any agreement about references or non-disparagement applies; first stop repeat contact and preserve records.

Important reassurance

An unexpected backchannel contact can feel catastrophic, but many employers know that unsolicited contact may be incomplete or unreliable. A calm HR-to-HR written route is a protective first move that keeps the situation smaller.

Scope note

These are first steps to stabilise the situation, reduce repeat contact, and preserve records. Later decisions may need specialist employment, data protection, or legal help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, financial, therapeutic, or professional advice. What is available to you depends on what was said, who said it, what was recorded, and what effect it has.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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