Who do I ask for a reference after a layoff? - any advice?

I worry a reference will only confirm dates of employment. This is my first time dealing with any of this. HR only confirms titles and dates. How do you ask politely?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 8 months ago, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

I kept a note of my results so my references could be specific. They appreciated it.