Email template · Offers
Contingent job offer email
In short
A contingent offer email makes a real job offer that depends on conditions being met, such as a background check, drug screen, reference checks or license verification. It states the role and terms, lists each condition and how it will be completed, and tells the candidate not to resign until conditions clear. Templates and US compliance notes follow.
When to send it: As soon as the hiring decision is approved, ideally after a verbal offer the same day. Start the background check and other contingencies only after the candidate accepts and signs the required authorizations.
Contingent job offer email: 4 versions
Standard conditional offer
SubjectConditional offer: [Job Title] at [Company]
Dear [First Name], We're pleased to offer you the position of [Job Title] at [Company], reporting to [Manager Name]. The full offer letter is attached. In summary: - **Start date:** [Start Date] - **Pay:** [Salary or Hourly Rate], paid [Pay Frequency] - **Schedule:** [Schedule] - **Location:** [Location or Remote] This offer is contingent on: 1. a satisfactory background check, conducted by [Screening Provider] with your written authorization 2. [a drug screen / verification of your [License Name] / satisfactory reference checks] 3. proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States, completed on or before your first day To accept, please sign the offer letter by [Acceptance Deadline]. You'll then receive a separate email from [Screening Provider] with the disclosure and authorization forms. Most checks finish within [Typical Turnaround]. We recommend you don't give notice to your current employer until we confirm that all conditions are met. I'll email you as soon as they are. We're excited about you joining the team. Call me at [Phone Number] with any questions. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Short, after verbal offer
SubjectYour offer for [Job Title]: next steps
Hi [First Name], Great speaking with you today. As discussed, here's your conditional offer for [Job Title] at [Salary or Hourly Rate], starting [Start Date]. The offer letter is attached. The offer depends on a background check and [other condition]. Once you sign the letter, you'll get the authorization forms from [Screening Provider]. Please hold off on resigning until I confirm everything has cleared, usually within [Typical Turnaround]. [Your Name] [Company]
High-volume / hourly
SubjectYou're hired (pending checks): [Job Title] at [Location]
Hi [First Name], Congratulations. We'd like to offer you the [Job Title] role at [Location]. Pay: [Hourly Rate] per hour Training starts: [Training Start Date], [Training Hours] Your offer is conditional on a background check and [drug screen]. To keep your training seat: 1. Accept your offer here: [Offer Link] 2. Complete the background check forms you'll receive by email or text 3. [Visit [Clinic Name or Collection Site] for your drug screen by [Screen Deadline]] We'll text you as soon as everything clears. Questions? Text [Phone Number]. [Recruiting Team] [Company]
Licensed or regulated role
SubjectConditional offer for [Job Title]: license verification
Dear [First Name], We are pleased to offer you the position of [Job Title] at [Company], starting [Start Date], at [Salary or Hourly Rate]. Your offer letter is attached. Because this is a regulated role, the offer is contingent on: - verification of your active [License or Certification] with [Issuing Body] - a background check that meets [Regulatory Requirement, if any] - [a post-offer medical exam required of everyone in this role / immunization records] Please sign and return the offer letter by [Acceptance Deadline]. [HR Contact Name] will then send the forms and instructions. We look forward to welcoming you. [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Subject line ideas
- Conditional offer: [Job Title] at [Company]
- Your job offer from [Company]: next steps
- Offer for [Job Title], pending background check
- You're hired (pending checks)
- Your offer letter for [Job Title]
- Welcome to [Company]: your conditional offer
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], it's [Company]. Congratulations, we're offering you [Job Title] at [Hourly Rate]/hr starting [Start Date], pending a background check. Accept here: [Offer Link]. Watch for the check forms by email. Questions? Text us.
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Job Title], [Company], [Manager Name], [Start Date], [Salary or Hourly Rate], [Pay Frequency], [Schedule], [Location or Remote], [Screening Provider], [License Name], [Acceptance Deadline], [Typical Turnaround], [Offer Link], [Training Start Date], [Phone Number], [Your Name]
What makes an offer contingent
A contingent or conditional offer is a genuine offer of employment that depends on specific conditions. Common ones are a background check, a drug test, reference checks, verification of a license or degree, a post-offer medical exam where the job requires it, and in some industries a credit check or security clearance. Proof of work authorization through Form I-9 is required for every US hire, but it is completed on or around the first day rather than as a pre-offer screen.
The structure matters. Several laws only allow certain checks after a conditional offer. A standard job offer email without conditions is fine when there are no checks; once there are, say so up front.
Legal sequence in the US
- Fair chance laws. Many states and cities, including California and New York City, restrict asking about criminal history until after a conditional offer. Where they apply, the order must be offer first, criminal record check second, and some add their own notice steps before withdrawing an offer.
- ADA medical exams. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, medical exams and disability-related questions are only allowed after a conditional offer, and only if required of everyone entering the same job category. Drug tests for illegal drugs are not medical exams under the ADA.
- FCRA. If a consumer reporting agency runs the background check, the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires a standalone written disclosure and the candidate's written authorization before the check. If you plan to withdraw the offer based on the report, you must send a pre-adverse action notice with a copy of the report and the FCRA summary of rights, wait a reasonable period, then send an adverse action notice.
Rules vary by state and city, so confirm your process with counsel.
What to include
- The role, pay, start date, schedule and manager, matching the offer letter exactly.
- Each contingency, named specifically. "Subject to standard checks" is too vague.
- How each condition will be completed, by whom and roughly how long it takes.
- An acceptance deadline.
- A clear line telling the candidate not to resign yet. This protects them and you.
- A named contact.
For how the screening step itself is explained, see the background check email, which covers consent, timelines and what the candidate will receive from the screening vendor.
Keeping candidates through the check period
The gap between conditional offer and clearance is where many hires are lost. Background checks often take two to five business days, longer when past employers or courts are slow, and candidates keep interviewing. Send a short update every couple of days, even when nothing has changed, and confirm clearance the same day it arrives. A fast identity verification step at the start of the check removes one common cause of delay.
In high-volume hiring, tie the conditions to a training class date. Candidates who know the check must clear before a specific Monday move faster on their own forms. If you manage offers in a single place, offer tracking shows who has accepted, who has completed forms and who is stuck.
If a check comes back with a problem
Do not withdraw the offer by email on the same day. Follow the FCRA pre-adverse action process if a consumer report is involved, and any additional fair chance steps your state or city requires, which can include an individualized assessment of the conviction's relevance to the job and time for the candidate to respond. Apply the same criteria to every candidate for the same role.
When everything clears, send a short confirmation with the final start date and first-day details. That email is the candidate's signal that it is safe to resign.
Mistakes to avoid
- Starting the check before the candidate signs the FCRA disclosure and authorization.
- Vague conditions such as "subject to approval."
- Telling the candidate to resign before checks clear.
- Medical questions before the offer.
- Inconsistent screening, with checks run for some hires in a role and not others.
Frequently asked questions
What is a contingent offer email?
It is a job offer that depends on conditions such as a background check, drug test, references or license verification. It sets out the role and terms, lists each condition and explains how and when they will be completed.
What is the difference between a conditional and a contingent offer?
In practice the terms mean the same thing: an offer that becomes final once stated conditions are met. Use whichever your offer letter and policies use, and be consistent.
Should a candidate resign after a contingent offer?
It is safer to wait until the employer confirms all conditions have cleared. A good contingent offer email says this directly.
Can an employer withdraw a contingent offer after a background check?
Yes, if the result is relevant to the job and the employer follows the FCRA adverse action process and any state or local fair chance requirements, applied consistently to all candidates.
How long does an offer pending background check usually take?
Many checks finish in two to five business days. Education and employment verification or county court searches can take longer. Tell candidates the expected range and update them regularly.