In Germany, employment references are widely used and hold significant importance for both employers and employees, particularly in the context of personnel selection. Monika Huesmann analyzes the design, use, and perception of employment references from various stakeholder perspectives. She outlines the historical and legal framework and discusses employment references as a subject of research in legal studies, linguistics, and business administration. Based on a comprehensive empirical study in which the author surveys different groups regarding the design and content of employment references, she analyzes the potential for discrimination in relation to the General Equal Treatment Act. She compares employment references and recommendations and questions the use of hidden codes.