So, some background. I took a position in the legal department of a collection agency. It was no where near my dream of working in a field where I could help others but I needed a full time job and they made an offer.

I have been at this job for six and a half months and things have not been great. My supervisor has mood swings and blames us for mistakes made before we worked there.

I started looking around and applied for some jobs with the state. I will admit that I told my boss I had doctors appointments when I was really at interviews. My boss was suspicious and called me into her office to tell me what a great job I have been doing, how happy they are and how she wants to talk about a raise soon. I figure, "great, if this doesn't work out, maybe things will improve here.

Today, the job I want with Child Support Enforcement called and told me they are very interested but really want to talk to my current employer. I was very concerned as my boss tends to take things personally and talk negatively about former employees. Possible new employer really wanted to talk to current so I finally agreed but asked he hold off til tomorrow so that I can prepare my boss.

When I got back from lunch I decided to just approach it like pulling off a bandaid. My boss did not respond well. She started in on me for being dishonest. I will give her that, since I used the doctor as an excuse. But then she started in on how I'm too emotional and she can't believe how much anxiety I have and maybe I need to seek professional help. I was shocked by this. A few days ago I was everything they wanted in an employee. Now suddenly I'm emotional and she is concerned about my attendance. These are not issues she has brought up before and I think she was lashing out at me out of anger. I am scared she is going to tell the potential employer that I need psychiatric help and scare them away. Do I have any rights here? If she gives them false information and screws my chance, does she just get away with it? Any advice on how to handle this would be super.

Tl;Dr last week my boss said I was a great employee. Now that someone is asking for a reference she is changing her tune and I feel like it's out of spite.