UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018: Primary legislation governing how personal information should be handled and shared in recommendation letters, ensuring data protection compliance

Defamation Act 2013: Legislation ensuring statements made in recommendation letters are truthful and don't unfairly damage the individual's reputation

Employment Rights Act 1996: Key employment legislation covering references and establishing duty of care to both former employees and potential future employers

Equality Act 2010: Legislation preventing discriminatory statements based on protected characteristics in recommendation letters

Common Law Duty of Care: Legal principle requiring employers to take reasonable care in preparing references and avoiding negligent misstatements

Confidentiality Obligations: Legal requirements regarding the handling and sharing of confidential information about former employees

Consent Requirements: Legal obligations to obtain appropriate consent before sharing personal information in recommendation letters

Malicious Falsehood Principles: Common law principles protecting against deliberately false statements that could cause damage to the subject of the reference