Certificate of service
Certificate of service. A document the employer must give on request at the end of employment, stating its length, the work done and, if asked, the reason it ended.
What it is
When a contract of service that lasted more than one month ends, the employer must, at the employee’s request, give a certificate stating (Employment and Industrial Relations Act, Cap. 452, article 41):
- the duration of the employment;
- the nature of the work or services performed;
- if the employee wishes, the reason for the termination; and
- the rate of wages paid.
The employer need not state the reason where employment was ended during probation.
How it differs from a reference
A certificate of service is a statutory minimum: facts, not an opinion. A reference is whatever the employer agrees to say about your work and departure. In a senior exit, the wording of a reference, and of any announcement, is usually negotiated and attached to the agreement.
Practical point
Ask for the certificate in writing. If you want the reason for termination stated, say so, and agree its wording if it is part of a wider settlement.