Employment Verification Letter

Learn how to verify an applicant's employment history with this guide, along with free sample letters and tips on getting proof of employment letters.

By Tina Visagie, Mar 4, 2024

Tina Visagie is a Copywriter at Betterteam. She has written extensively about small businesses and branding, and has experience in journalism, PR, and social media management.

An employment verification letter, also called a letter of employment or proof of employment letter, is used to confirm a person's employment dates, salary, and job title. Similar letters are also used by lenders and other entities.

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Download a Sample Employment Verification Letter:

Download a free printable employment verification letter template in Word format.

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Employment Verification Letter Sample:

[List their contact information and the date]

Sir/Madam:

[Insert applicant name] has applied for employment with [insert company name], and [he/she] listed your company as part of their employment history. We respectfully request your assistance verifying some of the details that were provided on [insert applicant name]’s resume.

What dates did [insert applicant name] work for your company?
What [is/was] their job title?
What [is/was] their annual salary?
Would you rehire [insert applicant name]?
Did [insert applicant name] adhere to company policies?
Is there any other information you can provide about [insert applicant name]'s job performance?
If [he/she] is currently employed by your company, has [he/she] turned in a resignation letter?

Thank you in advance for a prompt response! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

[List your name, title, and contact information]

Addition to the employment verification sample.

Some companies won’t release information without a signed consent form from their current or former employee. You can add this to the employment verification letter template.

Under the first paragraph and before the list of employment verification questions in the employment letter sample, simply insert the following sentence:

"[Insert handwritten name] hereby gives permission for this information to be shared."

Include a spot for the applicant to sign and date the form underneath this statement. It’s best to have them hand write their own name as well.

If you will be emailing copies of the employment verification form to their current or previous employers, you’ll only need them to fill out one form. Getting this paperwork signed by each candidate should be part of the in-person application and interview process.

How to Respond to a Letter:

$0.00 USD

2 Hours

Knowing how to get the information you need from other employers is just as important as knowing how to answer a request for a letter of employment verification.

Responding to an Employment Verification Request Letter.

1.1

Know your company's policy.

Do they allow you to fill out a form that’s been faxed or mailed over, or do you need to respond with your own form? Are you allowed to reply at all? Are there certain things you’re not allowed to say?

Know before you answer.

1.2

Stick to facts, don't give opinions.

If you’re able to fill out the form you receive, give information that is verifiable. No opinions should be provided on the form.

This may seem unfair if you’ve chosen to ask for opinions on your employment verification letter template. However, it’s imperative that you don’t get yourself or your company into any legal trouble with your answers.

1.3

Don't send documentation.

No matter what, never provide another company with documentation, such as a copy of the employee’s personnel records or termination letter. Doing this could easily lead to a lawsuit.

Employment verification for H1B employees.

If your company has employed someone with an H1B visa, it may be required to provide employment verification to the federal government. See our employment verification template for an H1B employee below.

Employment Verification Template for the H1B employee:

[Insert applicable government contact information and date]

Sir/Madam:

This letter certifies that [insert name] is employed at [insert company name] and holds the position of [insert position]. His/her current gross salary is [insert salary] USD per year/month/week. He/she is a [insert full or part]-time employee.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to call our human resources department at [insert number].

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Insert name and contact information]

FAQs:

How do I request an employment verification request letter?

Get written consent from the prospective employee.
Use a business letter format.
Be upfront but polite. State the purpose of the letter and indicate the applicant's consent.
Specify what you need to know by asking questions about the applicant's time at their current/former employer.
End the letter by providing your name and contact details.

How can I get employment verification?

The best way to get employment verification is to write an employment verification letter to confirm a person's employment dates, salary, and job title.

Can a previous employer deny an employment verification letter?

Legally, no business has to reply to a request for employment verification unless it comes from a state or federal government agency. This makes it trickier to get the information you need, but not impossible.

Although it’s truly in everyone’s best interests to comply with employment letter verification requests, you may run into a company that refuses to provide them.

When must an employer respond to a verification of employment?

An employer must only reply to a request for employment verification if it comes from a state or federal government agency.

How do you call to verify employment?

Being polite and aware of what companies can legally divulge is a big part of getting a human resources department to provide employment verification for a current or previous employee.

What is included in an employment verification letter?

The law is clear that everything divulged in employment verification letters must be truthful. As a result, many businesses protect themselves by only listing easily verifiable details, such as the person’s annual salary and dates of employment.

You can ask further questions about the applicant’s job performance and whether or not they were fired, but don’t expect to get an answer that provides any details.

What do you say when verifying employment?

A popular question to ask when verifying employment is “Would you hire this person again?" A common answer is “if qualified.” You’ll notice this doesn’t actually say yes or no. And they may be unqualified if they were fired, if they were a bad employee if they lied on their resume, and if they turned in an extremely negative resignation letter, etc.

In other words, this is a non-answer many human resources departments use that helps prevent legal issues.

Do you have any tips for getting responses to an employment verification letter?

You could reach out to local businesses in the same industry to get more in-depth answers and to create a cooperative environment.

You’d need to be willing to fill out every employment verification form that crosses your desk, but it may be worth it—knowing that you’ll receive the same courtesy in return.

Where can I find more letters for HR?

Layoff letter.
Rejection letter.
Job offer letter.
Letter of recommendation.
Employee termination letter.
New employee welcome letter.
Thank you letter to employees.
Letters of appreciation to employees.