false reference

[klk]

After being surplused because my group was closed down,
I have applied for another position within the same company
but another person who also was surplused from the same
group applied for another job in the group I was apply for
and while he was being interviewed gave me a bad reference
with false statements that I wasn't willing to learn a new
program and the other engr had to learn it. This is false
since the only program that was needed in this group was
one that I knew, and was the reason for me being hired
into this group since no one including this person knew
the program and I have my boss to prove this. While he
was there he gave the name of someone else he felt
was better than me outside the company. This has caused me the job I was applying for. What are my legal right to sue this person?

 

[loku]

Defamation

If you can prove he made the false statement, you have a valid claim against him for defamation. Your damages would be what the loss of job cost you. Sometimes there could be punitive damages.