All Personnel – Employment References

San Francisco Unified School District and County Office of Education

Regulation 4112.61

Employment References

This Administrative Regulation applies to the San Francisco Unified School District and the County Office of Education.

The Head of Human Resources or their designee shall be responsible for processing requests for employment references, letters of recommendation, or information about the reasons for separation regarding all District employees other than themselves. All letters of recommendation to be issued on behalf of the District for current or former employees shall be approved by the Head of Human Resources or their designee. At their discretion, the Head of Human Resources or their designee may refuse to give a recommendation.

The Head of Human Resources or their designee may communicate information about the job performance or qualifications of a current or former District employee when such information is based upon credible evidence and is given to a prospective employer without malice and at the prospective employer’s request.  (Civil Code 47)

Any reference, letter of recommendation, or information provided about the reasons for separation issued on behalf of the District shall provide a truthful and accurate account of the employee’s job performance and qualifications.

No District employee shall verbally or in writing provide a recommendation or information to a prospective employer which intentionally omits significant facts, or which states as facts matters which the writer does not know of their own knowledge to be true, relating to the professional qualifications or personal fitness to perform services of any person who the writer knows or believes will use the letter or information to obtain professional employment.  (5 CCR 80332)

No District employee shall agree to provide a letter of recommendation which misrepresents facts as a condition of another employee’s resigning or withdrawing action against the District.  (5 CCR 80332)