Employers are often hesitant to provide detailed references about former employees due to the risk of:DiscriminationTort liabilityTitle VII violationsPerjury

Employers may be hesitant to provide detailed references about former employees due to several potential legal risks:

1. Discrimination: If an employer provides a negative reference for a former employee based on their race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information, it could be seen as discriminatory. This could lead to legal consequences under anti-discrimination laws.

2. Tort Liability: This refers to the risk of being sued for defamation. If an employer provides false information that harms the reputation of the former employee, they could be sued for defamation.

3. Title VII Violations: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, and religion. If an employer's reference discriminates on these grounds, they could be in violation of this law.

4. Perjury: If an employer knowingly provides false information in a reference, they could be charged with perjury, which is a serious crime.

Therefore, to avoid these potential legal risks, employers often choose to provide only basic information in references, such as employment dates and job titles.