An employment verification letter which is also known as a proof of employment letter is a document which provides an employer with confirmation about the current or former employment status of an employee. Outside agencies usually request this proof of employment letter for a specific purpose.
Contents
- 1 Employment Verification Letters
- 2 What is an employment verification letter?
- 3 Types and information to include on an employment verification letter
- 4 Proof of Employment Letters
- 5 Tips for writing an employment verification letter
- 6 What not to include in the employment verification letter?
- 7 Job Verification Letters
- 8 Requesting for an employment verification letter
Employment Verification Letters
What is an employment verification letter?
If you need an employment verification letter to give to a potential employer, a government office, a financial institution, or any other agency, you may have to request for it formally. Generally, an employment confirmation letter provides verification of your current or previous employment status.
A letter of employment also contains other relevant information like how long you’ve worked with a company, salary details, and other information depending on your reason for needing the letter. A letter of employment template get printed on the official letterhead of the company and you would need it for the following reasons:
- When applying for an auto loan or a mortgage, the lender or lending institution might want to verify that you currently have a job and you’re earning enough money to make the monthly payments.
- When applying to rent a property, the landlord or the company managing the property might want to verify that you’re earning a steady income to make the rent payments along with the security deposit and other maintenance costs.
- When you’re requesting to reduce or defer loan payments, the lending institution or bank might want you to provide proof of what you’re currently earning through the proof of employment letter. The information on the letter helps the lending institution determine whether to fulfill your request or not.
- When you’re applying for a job at a new company, the hiring manager might want to verify the information written on your resume as part of their company’s background check process.
Types and information to include on an employment verification letter
The information on the employment verification letter you compose or request mainly depends on whether you’re a former or current employee. Therefore, the two main types of letter of employment templates which are:
- For current employees
Compose this type of letter of employment when you want to verify that the employee currently works for the company. Print this letter on the company letterhead to ensure that it’s official. You can use this type of letter for:
Auto or home loans
Lease or rent agreements
Applications for credit cards
Social services
Immigration green card or visa - For former employees
Compose this type of l employment confirmation letter when you want to verify that the employee worked for your company in the past. Print this letter on the company letterhead to ensure that it’s official. You can use this type of letter for:
Credit applications
Job applications
Government benefits
No matter what type of proof of employment letter you write, make sure to include the following information:
- The business name of the company.
- The complete business address of the company.
- The former or current job title of the employee along with a list of his/her responsibilities.
- Employment dates.
- For former employees, eligibility for rehiring.
- Salary details.
- Raises and bonuses.
- The name, signature, and contact details of the person who prepared the letter.
As a general rule of thumb when it comes to a letter of employment template is to customize your letter according to the needs of the requestor. Only provide the information asked for, you don’t need to add any more.
Proof of Employment Letters
Tips for writing an employment verification letter
At some point while working in a company, you may have to compose a letter of employment for an employee. In such a case, you should be able to compose an effective letter which serves its purpose. To guide you, here are some tips:
- Follow a professional business format
When writing an employment verification letter, use the official format to ensure that it’s professional. At the top, type your contact information, the date you’re writing the letter, and the contact information of the recipient. Include a proper salutation at the beginning and affix your signature at the end. - Keep the letter concise
There is never a need to compose a lengthy employment confirmation letter. You don’t have to compose an entire story about the employee nor do you need to add a performance evaluation to the letter. Keep it concise, specific, and to the point. - Include all of the information requested
Most letters contain the basic information about the employee like the full name, job title, department, and the employment dates. Beyond this information, you don’t need to add anything else. That is unless the request includes other relevant information about the employee. In such a case, make sure to include all of the information requested. - Provide your contact details
It’s also important to include your contact details as the person who wrote the letter. Add this information at the end of the letter along with a statement offering to answer any clarifications or questions about the employee in question. - Proofread and edit your letter before sending
This is an important step when writing a proof of employment letter or any other kind of formal business letters. If the document contains too many spelling or grammatical errors, the recipient might not believe in its legitimacy. Therefore, proofreading becomes essential.
What not to include in the employment verification letter?
Employers can keep themselves protected by ensuring that the employee approves of sharing any financial details in the employment confirmation letter. Often, employees would request a letter of employment for a specific purpose and if the request includes financial details, the employer may provide this information. But when it comes to this type of letter, here are some things to be careful of:
- Only provide financial details when part of the request and when the employee approves of sharing these details.
- Never provide protected or illegal-class information like marital status or health conditions.
- Never provide confidential information like not owning a driver’s license or not passing a drug test.
- Never share your own reasons for not wanting to hire (or rehire) the employee such as poor performance at work.
Job Verification Letters
Requesting for an employment verification letter
There are several reasons why an employee would request an employment verification letter. For instance, employees might need this letter to furnish to a financial institutions or landlords, if they’re trying to buy or rent a property. In some cases, they might require this letter for insurance, credit or job applications.
Whatever the reason maybe for an employee to request this letter, the letter contains information to verify that a person has either worked or is currently working at a company as he/she claims. Just like there are types of letters you can compose, there are also different ways you can request the letter.
It’s important to request this letter in a respectful and professional way. If you’re currently employed, the best way to find out how to request such a letter is to check with the HR department of your company. This department knows exactly how the process works thus, making it a lot easier for you.
Here are some ways you can request for a letter of employment template:
- Employee request
When employees request for this letter, they should do so in a professional way. Consult with the HR department as this is generally where you would make such a request. If you’re currently employed with the company and you need the letter for a specific reason, double-check with the HR department about the process.
Usually, the HR department prepares the letter for the employee, with a template for the department head to fill in. If your company doesn’t have an HR department, approach your manager directly with your request. If your company doesn’t have a form or template, you may want to prepare the letter and simply ask your head to sign it after checking. - Third-party request
There are cases when an employee would need this letter for non-employment purposes like for credit or loan applications. This is a much easier request to make but still, you should make sure to keep your request professional and brief. Generally, the information required for this request is the basic name, job title, salary details, and employment dates. - Prospective employer request
Finally, this request comes from when you’re applying for a job and you need your former employer to verify the information you submitted through your resume or job application. This is why it’s important to leave your job on a good note. Otherwise, you’ll find it very difficult to request for an employment verification letter.
Some employers may require applicants to submit this letter along with their application. This is essential, especially in this modern-day and age where it’s becoming easier to forge documents. If you want to increase your chances of getting hired, this letter can help out in a big way.
If the prospective employer can confirm all of the information you’ve written on your resume through the letter, this shows that you’re honest and that you had, indeed, worked in the company as you claimed.