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This document is used where the Company wishes to acknowledge receipt of a reference given by another Company or individual, concerning a new joiner.
[Sender name]
[Sender address]
[date]
[Recipient name]
[Recipient address]
Dear [Recipient first name],
Acknowledgement of Reference: [insert name of applicant]
I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the reference that you provided for [Applicant's Name] in support of their application for a position at our company. We received your reference on [Date], and we appreciate the time and effort you put into writing it.
Your reference provided valuable insight into the
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An acknowledgement of reference received from company or individual letter is a formal document that a company or an individual sends to a referee to confirm that their employment reference has been received and is being taken into consideration. The letter typically includes the name of the applicant, the position they have applied for, the name and contact information of the referee, and the date the reference was received.
The purpose of the letter is to express appreciation for the effort and time the referee has taken to provide the reference and to reassure them that the reference will be handled with confidentiality and professionalism. It is also a way for the company or individual to acknowledge the importance of the referee's contribution in the hiring process and to provide a record of receipt of the reference in case any questions arise later on.
Overall, the acknowledgement of reference received from company or individual letter is a professional and courteous way to thank a referee for their support and to ensure that the reference is given proper consideration during the hiring process.
Related HR resources and workflow
Explore the HR resources that may be relevant before and / or after using the Acknowledgement of reference received letter, helping you understand the wider process, maintain appropriate documentation and follow a consistent approach.
Our Reference Completed Letter Template streamlines the process of providing detailed and accurate employee references, saving time and effort.
In the UK, there are no specific roles for which an employer is legally required to provide a reference. However, there are certain situations where an employer may have a legal obligation to provide a reference or disclose information about an employee or former employee. These situations include:
It is important to note that even when an employer is not legally required to provide a reference, they must ensure that any reference they provide is accurate, truthful, and not misleading. They must also comply with data protection laws and the individual's right to access the information provided in their reference.
In summary, where employers in the UK are not legally required to provide references, they may do so voluntarily. However, employees may be required to provide references as part of their job application process.
Yes. This template has been designed for organisations of all sizes, including small businesses, charities and growing employers. It follows UK employment law best practice and can be adapted to suit your organisation.
Our templates are developed with UK employment legislation, Acas guidance and HR best practice in mind and are reviewed and updated as relevant requirements change. However, every employment situation is different, so the template should be adapted to the circumstances and checked against the employee's contract and your organisation's procedures before use.
Yes, we highlight the areas of the document that you need to update with your own details, and where you need to make decisions to suit your situation. This saves you time and ensures that you meet best practice.
Yes. Once purchased, you'll be able to download it instantly. Templates are provided in editable format (such as .doc or .xls) so you can customise them easily, and in PDF format for easy sharing.
If you're looking for broader support, we also offer toolkits and library bundles that include the Acknowledgement of reference received letter template, along with other HR templates and policies for fully managing your situation. These may be more cost-effective if you need deeper advice.
AI can produce a document quickly, but effective HR documentation needs to be more than well-written words. It needs to reflect relevant UK employment law, HR best practice, practical considerations and the circumstances in which it will be used. These resources have been professionally developed around that wider HR context, drawing on extensive practical experience, rather than simply generating a generic document from a prompt.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing reference request processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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