Section 1 Background

• Library: Employer-Employee Law 2008

Before the enactment of the service letter law, Missouri employers were under no obligation to provide former employees letters of reference characterizing their employment or reason for discharge. As a result, employers in the same line of business were collaborating by “blacklisting” employees and not hiring employees that had been employed by one of the other businesses. This practice was common among blue collar workers who lacked the protection of labor unions. It was especially prevalent in the railroad industry. See Cleveland, C., C. & St. L. Ry. Co. v. Jenkins, 51 N.E. 811 (Ill. 1898).

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