Hit another brick wall
 

After spending 6 weeks writing and then re-writing a reference for my hubby's old line manager, she has now decided that she will not sign it. Even though she asked me to write it and e-mail it to her so that she could put it on a letter head,sign it and then post it back to me. :mad:

I wouldn't mind but it's 7 years employment as an electrician and it's the last reference we need. Have proof of qualifications sorted out, references from all other employers apart from the 2 that are deceased.

I think i am going to gas myself in the oven, oh s**t i can't it's electric

I am beginning to wonder if it's worth all the hassle and stress, i feel like we are never even going to get past the TRA stage.

Oh well, another day another dollar

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

did you get her refusal to sign in writing at all? even via email?

I would change the letter slightly to a statutory declaration format and attach the written refusal to sign document to this. Also if possible get personal confirmation of work from colleagues to confirm the details of the statement.

Honest - once TRA done, nothing else could possibly phase you again!!

Paula

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

Agents have said that a stat DEC won't work as we already sent one to the agent.the reference covers 7 years, and the company have destroyed all hubby's records so there is no proof of him ever working for them.He left the company in 1997. There is no other person within the company that worked with John at the same time. that's why we needed it on letter headed paper explaining in the first sentence that they had changed names, and that she was his line manager, also she told John over the telephone so no written proof there either.

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

What a shitty nightmare for you! What a COW! Not sure what to do with this one.

Could try putting your request in a very very polite letter, enclose the document on a floppy disk and a stamped addressed envelope and maybe she might feel a little twinge and do it anyway.

Be a little friendly explaining that it is just for trade recognition purposes - no legal connotations involved - will not be seen by anyone else etc etc.

I sooo feel for you - we thought we had hit this brick wall with OH's area manager at British Gas and I sent a letter to HR office and they did it for us and HR personnell even PP'd the signature.

Get back in touch with agent and tell them may have to do without letter and what alternatives can they come up with - make them earn that fee!

Have a couple :beer: :beer: before writing the letter though - just to let of steam

Paula

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

Hi,

Sorry to hear your bad news :( Have you spoken to the woman in question in person to ask why she won't sign? Couldn't you explain face to face that it's your only chance .... you know grovel a bit, I know it's demeaning, but if it gets her to do it ;)

Good luck

N ;)

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

we had a problem getting my husbands ex-employer to do a letter. it was at the firm where he served his apprenticeship, so important. they said no, his ex-colleagues wouldnt/couldnt, as it was more than their jobs were worth.

in the end, i wrote a letter, more or less begging them to do it. i said that this was our life etc, and also my parents chance to get to aus. laid it on quite thick, but it was how we felt, we were heartbroken.

anyway, it worked. they did do a letter. albeit, not a very good one. but at least we got something. included the nightmare we had trying to get this letter in the stat dec, explaining that all records were lost in a fire at the premises after hubbie had left the company, and that they had no records of him (true fact).

hope you get somewhere. i remember how we felt at this time of our application. good luck.

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

She's my husbands so called friend of 15 years, she did say at the beginning that she wasn't going to let him go as she would miss him too much but John thought she was joking. She has only spoke to him in a work capacity for the last 5 years. He has tried the grovelling bit and also pleaded with her as he was 44 on the 31 may so she knows that time is very short.i think i am going to have to have quite a few :beer: tonight and see what turns up in the morning. I'm not sure what we are going to do now. will have to have a good think if there is another way around this problem as agents have said that with out the reference we won't get TRA. :(

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

my line manager has just given me an idea, :) wage slips or p60's from the inland revenue. I am going in the loft when i get home to see if i can find any wage slips. At least that proves he worked there. ;)
Wish me luck i will let you know if i find anything.
Jackie

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

OMG - hope you find what you need in the attic :)

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

Christ i hope it's not like my loft!

EMPTY

and always has ben since we moved here 7 years ago

although i will admit to still having alan's wage slip going back 10 years (bloody CSA!!!!)

hope you manage to find something, even one as this with a stat dec may suffice, fingers crossed

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

I'm so sorry to hear you're having a hard time - but as you were thinking about P60's what about old bank statements showing wages going into account and what about hubby's tax office ?? They should be able to verify that he worked for that company - they also may be able to point you in other directions. Also what about Companies House which would prove the company existed during that period?

Hope it gives you another avenue to explore and hope she gets boils on her bum which don't burst but cause agony!!! :D

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

I had the same problem with the Company that I served my apprenticeship and 3 years post apprenticeship with. I got the personnel / records department to draft a letter stating that they had no record of my employment due to the fact that it was over 7 years previous ( 22 years ago actually ) and as they were only legally bound to keep records for a minimum of 7 years they could not confirm or refute my employment with them.

I managed to get a letter from my Trade Union confirming these dates but agent said that payslips etc would suffice and any other documentation linking to the said Company.

Hope this helps.

Lone Ranger

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

I cannot believe that she is doing this because she doesnt want to lose him. What a bitch.

He should say to her in the politest posssible way that if she is going to destroy a good working relationship by refusing to sign a legal document, then he will be forced to look elsewhere.

And next time or if you husband has a work related injury, no matter how small, have it in front of his manager and make sure the yellow pages is open in front of an 'Ambulance chasing no win no fee' lawyer.

Or you could say, 'Well I shall just do a statutory declaration that you have refused to sign this legal document, and should I perhaps mention it is for no other reason other than to stop me leaving this job' :( :mad:

Good luck and I really hope you crack it.

I shall send karma to you when I can.

Samantha

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

God, what a jealous psychotic bitch!!
Don't know anything about TRA but is there not a colleague who may keep in touch with other managers who have moved on?? Pulling teeth here for you!! :D
Hope it all works out and keep us updated.
J x

Re: Hit another brick wall
 

What a cow. Shes obviously jealous. I really feel for you. We had a job getting refs from where Mark served his apprenticeship but luckily he still had contact nos from people he worked with who did the refs.
It will defo help if you can find payslips or P60s from when he worked there.
Keep at it. It will be worth it.

Joex