Employers providing job references for a current or former employee would receive civil immunity under a bill discussed during a Business and Labor Committee hearing Feb. 6.<\/p>\n
LB959, introduced by Fremont Sen. Charlie Janssen, would provide absolute immunity to any employer who discloses factual information during a reference check. Janssen said the protection is necessary to encourage a free flow of information.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany companies are reluctant to offer referrals beyond the basic information,\u201d Janssen said. \u201cPertinent information is withheld because it is not worth the potential for a time-consuming and expensive legal challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
Employers who are shown to have disclosed information with actual malice or deliberate intent to mislead would not be granted immunity.<\/p>\n
Steve Sexton of Fremont testified in support of the bill, saying the threat of legal action has caused a shift away from candid and honest referrals.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere competition is extremely tough, it can be a disservice to the candidate to only provide bland biographical information,\u201d Sexton said.<\/p>\n
Kathleen Neary, representing the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys, testified in opposition to the bill, calling it a solution to a problem that does not exist.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no onslaught of cases here,\u201d Neary said. \u201cExtending immunity to employers is not a road the state wants to go down.\u201d<\/p>\n
The committee took no immediate action on the bill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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