Who do I ask for a reference after a layoff? - 22 weeks in

I worry a reference will only confirm dates of employment. There are 10 people counting on me, so I am trying to be careful. HR only confirms titles and dates. How do you ask politely?

Use a professional network to find a former manager. Many will still write a note.

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 7 months ago, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.