Negligent misstatement
An interesting case in the High Court examined the situation
where an ex-employer badmouths a former employee several years
after employment has ended.
In McKie v Swindon College, Mr Mckie had worked for Swindon
College as a contextual studies coordinator until 2002 when he left
to work for Bath City College. At that time he received an
excellent reference from Swindon College. In 2007 he left Bath City
College to work at Bristol City College. In May 2008 he was offered
and accepted a job as director of studies at the University of
Bath.
Two or three weeks later an email was sent by the HR manager at
Swindon College (who had never met Mr McKie) to the University of
Bath. It was completely damning and referred to 'very real
safeguarding concerns' and 'serious staff relationship
problems'. As a result, Mr McKie was summarily dismissed by the
University of Bath. The High Court noted, when it considered the
circumstances, that the procedure
