Employment Rights Act 1996: Primary legislation governing employment references, including sections on references and employment records, and duty of care requirements when providing references

Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR: Legislation governing personal data handling, including requirements for data processing, individual rights, consent requirements, and data minimization principles in reference writing

Defamation Act 2013: Legal framework protecting against false statements that could harm reputation, including defenses of truth and honest opinion in reference writing

Equality Act 2010: Legislation ensuring non-discrimination and fairness in employment practices, including the provision of references

Common Law Principles: Established legal principles covering duty of care to both former employee and prospective employer, requirements for true and accurate references, and negligent misstatement principles

Human Rights Act 1998: Legislation protecting fundamental rights including privacy considerations and right to work implications in reference writing