Reference Checks for OSU Employment
Before a candidate receives an offer of employment, hiring officials are encouraged to contact the references of finalists to ensure the candidate is the most qualified individual for the position.
OSU is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for the university community in support of its overall mission. Conducting reference checks can help OSU achieve its goal and minimize the risk from negligent hiring practices. Hiring officials may seek reference information from multiple sources such as a candidate’s current employer, former employer(s), colleagues and/or cohorts for example. References provided or not provided by the candidate are acceptable to contact.
Guidelines
Remember OSU is one employer and there is freedom to share pertinent information from one department to another. Always practice caution when gathering information on a candidate and specifically with readily available social media profiles and pages. The potential to learn more about an individual from a social media account is greater than the information learned from an individual in an interview. In addition, the risk for complaints alleging discrimination increase. In all cases, remain focused on gaining knowledge from a reference source to help determine if the candidate can perform the duties of the position. Avoid unreasonable intrusion into areas where individuals have a legitimate expectation of privacy. Keep in mind many companies will only share a limited amount of employee information. This restriction is typically a company policy and not a negative reflection of the candidate.
The following reminders are helpful in the event someone is seeking input from you as a reference for an individual.
- Before releasing information, obtain written authorization from the individual explicitly allowing you to release his/her information. For an Employee Authorization for Reference Release form, click here.
- In general and with written authorization, the information to share pertains to salary, performance and eligibility for rehire.
- Refer to The Work Number service from Equifax for verification of employment and/or income for OSU/A&M employees. Go to employment verification page for instructions. Questions? Call OSU Benefits at 405.744.5449, or email osu-benefits@okstate.edu.
Reference university policy 3-0712, Human Resource Information Management Systems, and university policy 1-0130, Open Records, for more information.