Can I be held responsible for the performance of someone I recommend for a job?

[louise81]

I recommended a friend for a job. It was basically my old job as I was promoted. My company decided not to use an agency or advertise the job and instead sent a company wide email asking if anyone knew of anyone they could recommend. I knew of two people who were looking and gave them the email address of my line manager so they could send their CV in. One of these ended up getting an interview and getting the job. The other person was not interviewed.

 

Now the person who got the job is infact a good friend of mine, we have worked together in the past and she had the relevant experience that they were looking for. At no point did I 'put in a good word' or anything like that as I knew other people in the company who recommended people and felt it was unfair. I was not asked anything about her performance or asked to vouch for her at any point.

 

This friend has had some problems with depression in the past and she did have a breakdown around 5 years previously when she was a teenager. I was aware of this and was around for her at the time it happened. She decided she was going to disclose this incident on her medical form. She asked my advice on this and I said quite honestly that I wouldnt have disclosed that info, however she had already filled the form by this point saying she wanted to be honest. She was sent a further form from an occupational health company and asked to fill this in which she said she did.

 

Fast forward to 5 months later and after suffering from a bout of depression she was sacked. The circumstances around this are questionable in itself but this is not my point here. She has her own plans to take this further once she has recovered.

 

I am now being investigated regarding this. The first point is that I apparently encouraged her to hide her medical history. This has been raised as after she was sacked her line manager told me she thought that she was lying about alot of things surrounding her illness. I defended her saying she had been completely honest and recounted the advice I gave her about the medical form. They are now claiming the second form was not recieved and believe I encouraged her not to return this. This is completely untrue.

 

Secondly I am being investigated for recommending someone I knew could not fulfil the role. Again this is untrue as she spent several months working with no issues. I also dont understand how I can be held responsible as I didnt interview her or make any kind of recommendation, I just passed on a job decription and email address. Luckily my own line manager is in agreement that this is unfair but HR have insisted on taking this forward so I have a meeting with a impartial HR representative tomorrow.

 

I am wondering if anyone has any advice or opinions regarding this?

[Emmzzi]

What do they think you did that was a "reccomendation"? Did you give a reference?

[louise81]

No nothing, I just told my line manager I had 2 CV's for her and I sent them on as she asked. I didnt make any verbal recommendations or any written references or anything. After that I had no part in the recruitment process.

[Emmzzi]

Then it seems to me this witch hunt has no grounds. Might result in a tightening up of the process in future but I can't see what else they can do.

[louise81]

Thanks Emmzi, I thought as much but couldn't find anything anywhere on the internet regarding processes surrounding recommending people for jobs nor anyone else who had been treated in this way after recommending someone. I guess I should just go and defend myself as I cant see them being able to take any sort of disciplinary action following this.

[stu007]

Hi

 

Have to agree this sounds like a witch hunt.

 

You could put in a grievance about this also as you were neither involved in the employees interview process for the position and neither did you give that employee employment at that company the bosses did.

 

Also the employee failing to return the second form is also not your fault especially if that was part of the companies employment procedure. Why did the company not contact the employee for the form or were they expecting you to do their work for them.