HR forbids employees writing RLs?

In my experience, if your boss said this, its a way for him to politely deflect your request because he either (A) doesnt want to do it or (B) isnt comfortable writing a rec.

Hello,

Actually, this practice is becoming more and more common. I am pursuing an Executive MBA and have more than 15 years work experience. I currently work for a Fortune 500 company that has this same policy.
You may be surprised to also learn that this protects you as an individual and your reputation.

We recently had an employee who left the company and sent a flurry of reference requests through LinkedIn, etc.
Many people recommended this person based upon their working relationship. However, what these people did not know (because HR could not discuss) was that this employee was asked to resign due to criminal activity. I am sure most colleagues would not have recommended this person had they known this. But since they ignored HR policy they are now, unfortunately, associated with this person.

I think most reputable companies will start instituting similar policies.

i heard of a similar policy from my former boss during an internship i had. we are on good terms, so i don't think it's that he wanted to sidestep the responsibility. in fact he offered to provide a verbal reference / recommendation over the phone, just not in writing.

At my former employer, a large consulting firm, my old boss had to get sign off from corporate HR before he could submit my recommendation. It doesn't surprise me to hear that some large companies won't allow them.

I'm sure you're not the only applicant in this position, so though it isn't ideal, at least you have a good explanation for not having a reco from your previous supervisor.

Funny you should say that. In my previous life, i was an associate at a large law firm (size/profits-wise, maybe 45th in the country).

The firm has a very strict policy about absolutely no reference or recommendation letters. For legal reasons, the law firm's view was it was easiest to simple adopt a bright line rule preventing all of this. I encountered this wall when I was applying for other jobs. All they are supposed to be able to say on the phone even, is "John Doe worked as an associate here from XXXX to XXXX", etc.

Thankfully, a few of my colleagues have since left the firm (either to go in-house or to go to another firm), so I can get recommendation letters from them, but I have zero chance of getting a recommendation from anyone currently working at this firm (that I worked at for 4 years).

Yes, that is my current situation. It's widely known and (as far as I can tell) enforced. I knew about the rule so didn't even bother asking my boss. However, I work closely with folks outside the organization (client and partnership type relationships). I'm having two of those folks write my LORs, and just writing a statement on why I don't have one from a manager. I'm pointing out that the writers have frequent contact with my manager. Not ideal, but so it goes...