Carmen Wood-Hope, a former teacher and union representative, was awarded £370,563 after an employment tribunal found she was unfairly dismissed and subjected to damaging references by her headteacher, Michael Earnshaw. The tribunal ruled that Earnshaw launched a retaliatory campaign against Wood-Hope for challenging his unannounced classroom observation policy, placing her on an unjustified performance plan and later issuing negative, unfounded references to sabotage her future employment. The case highlights the legal risks of biased references and underscores the importance of evidence-based, HR-managed reference policies in safeguarding both employees and employers.
