Someone may ask you to write or provide an employment verification letter at some point in your life. If you’ve never done it, writing an employment verification letter might seem like a daunting task. However, it’s straightforward when you know what information to include.
Anyone requesting an employment verification letter wants to know certain facts about your employment. Regardless of your reason for needing one, here’s how to write an employment verification letter.
Why You May Need a Proof of Employment Letter
There are various reasons that someone may ask you for proof that you’re employed.
The most obvious example is to prove to a potential new employer that your credentials and employment history are true. Plenty of people misrepresent themselves when applying for jobs. Considering this, it makes sense that employers would want to vet their potential employees.
Another reason you may need to provide proof of employment is when you’re applying to rent an apartment or house. Landlords want to know that you have enough income to pay the rent. When tenants cannot pay, they lose revenue. In the worst cases, they might have to go to court to evict non-paying tenants.
A similar reason is when a bank asks for an employment verification letter before approving an auto or home loan. Like a landlord, banks rely on borrowers making their payments.
Banks want to lend to people who have the required revenue needed to pay off the loan. In addition, they would rather receive on-time payments from borrowers, rather than deal with people who default on their loans.
Another situation involving banks and employment verification letters is when a borrower requests a reduction in payment or deferral. In this case, the bank is looking for proof of reduced income showing that the borrower cannot pay their loan.
This be because the borrower lost income due to reduced work hours or job loss. If someone can prove lack of income, they may be eligible to have their payment reduced, paused, deferred or forgiven.
How to Successfully Write an Employment Verification Letter
An employment verification letter is a straightforward document consisting of information the requesting party needs. Before writing the letter, ask the requestor what they specifically need. Some of the most common pieces of information for employment verification letters are described next.
What You Should Include in a Letter to Verify Employment
The contents of an employment verification letter are dependent on what information the requesting party wants. Before creating an employment verification letter, it’s best to ask what information the requesting organization needs.
Keep in mind, there are laws governing what employers can share with third parties. For example, you may be required to sign a release form to share your employment information in certain circumstances.
Some of the most common pieces of information that an employment verification letter includes are:
- Employer name and address
- Employee name
- Employee’s job title, description and duties
- Their salary
- Dates of employment
- Reason for termination (if applicable)
You should print an employment verification letter on official company letterhead with the company logo.
Someone who requests an employment verification letter will want it in a certain form. This might include an email, for it to be uploaded to their website, or a physical letter. Make sure to ask what format they prefer. Employment verification forms are brief documents and usually aren’t more than 100 words.
Employment Verification Letter Sample/Template
Whether you’re asking for an employment verification letter, or someone has asked you for one, here are a few examples:
Employment Verification Letter Template for Current Employee
Corporation Co.
1001 Broadway
New York, NY 10001
January 1st, 2022
DEF Bank Inc.
1111 3rd Street
Seattle, WA 98101
Dear Sir or Madam,
This letter is to verify George Smith’s employment with Corporation Co.
Employee’s Name: George Smith
Dates of Employment: May 9th, 2021 – Present
Job Title: Director of Web Development
Salary: $165,000
For any other necessary information, you can reach us at 555-555-5555 or mikerichardson@corporationco.com.
Thanks,
Mike Richardson
Hiring Manager
Corporation Co.
Employment Verification Letter Template for Former Employee
Corporation Co.
1001 Broadway
New York, NY 10001
January 1st, 2022
DEF Bank Inc.
1111 3rd Street
Seattle, WA 98101
Dear Sir or Madam,
This letter confirms that George Smith was employed as Director of Web Development at Corporation Co. from October 17th, 2016 to November 6th, 2022.
If there’s any additional information you need to know, you can reach us at 555-555-5555 or mikerichardson@corporationco.com.
Thanks,
Mike Richardson
Hiring Manager
Corporation Co.
What to Request in an Employment Verification Letter
You might find yourself in need of an employment verification letter from someone else. Common requesters of employment verification letters include human resource directors, hiring managers, banks and landlords.
The information included in an employment verification letter is dependent on what the organization needs to know.
Here is a general outline of what employers, landlords and lending institutions look for when requesting employment verification letters:
- The requester’s basic information such as organization name, address and contact information
- Information needed about the employee (e.g., job title, job duties, job title, employment dates, salary)
- Where and how to deliver an employment verification letter (email address, website URL, mailing address, fax number, etc.)
- Why the organization is requesting information
If you don’t know what your organization needs when requesting an employment verification letter, ask. Create your own in-house template. It will increase your odds of receiving all necessary information and make the process faster. In addition, your employment verification letter template can be used in an HR handbook if your organization has one.
Laws Regarding Employment Verification
Laws dictate what information an employer can give out to a person or organization requesting the information. There’s also no law stating that an employer must comply and give employment information on a past or current employee. The only case in which employers must give out employment information is when a federal organization asks for it.
It’s a common courtesy and best practice for employers to give out employment information to legitimate entities. An organization may ask someone to verify their employment for several important life reasons. These include getting a new job, getting a loan for a car or house, or renting a new apartment.
It’s essential that you know the specific regulations in your state regarding employment verification. You can find each state’s regulations here.
Federal laws prohibit discrimination in hiring based on race, gender, sex, age, disability or nation of origin. This is relevant to employment verification because you need to make sure you’re not giving out any illegal demographic information.
Sharing Salary Information
It’s essential to keep in mind that states have different laws regarding sharing salary information. Some states and cities prohibit employers from inquiring about past salaries, such as California and New York City.
These laws protect potential employees from being discriminated against based on their past salary or earnings. An employer might artificially lower a job offer if a candidate is coming from a particularly low-paying job. If someone asks you about a current or past employee’s salary, ask permission from the employee before you share.
Sharing Health and Disability Information
The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against qualified people with disabilities. Likewise, under HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act prohibits employers from sharing an employee’s medical history.
Final Thoughts
Writing a proof of employment letter can be a simple process.
If an organization asks you to provide proof of employment, be sure to ask what information the requesting party needs.
If you’re requesting proof of employment letter, start by knowing all the critical information about your organization. That way, you can streamline and standardize the process. You should also keep in mind all federal, state and local laws that govern what information you can ask. That goes for employers being asked to give out information about their current and past employees as well. Know the law, so you don’t break it.
