Template · Employee records and administration
Employment verification letter template
In short
An employment verification letter is a short letter from an employer confirming that a person works or worked there, usually with job title, dates of employment and, when the employee authorizes it, pay. Lenders, landlords and agencies ask for it. This template covers current and former employees, with optional salary and status lines.
Employment Verification Letter template
Employment Verification Letter
Print on company letterhead. Include only the items the employee has authorized in writing and the requester actually needs. Delete the optional lines you are not using. Keep a copy, the request and the employee's authorization in the employee file.
Letter header
[Company Legal Name] [Street Address] [City, State ZIP] [HR Phone Number] | [HR Email Address]
[Date]
[Recipient Name] [Recipient Organization] [Recipient Address or Email]
Re: Verification of employment for [Employee Full Legal Name]
Letter body: current employee
To whom it may concern,
This letter confirms that [Employee Full Legal Name] has been employed by [Company Legal Name] since [Start Date (Month Day, Year)]. [He/She/They] currently holds the position of [Job Title] in our [Department] department at our [City, State] location.
[Employee First Name] is employed on a [full-time / part-time / temporary / seasonal] basis and is classified as [exempt / non-exempt]. [His/Her/Their] regular schedule is [average number] hours per week.
[OPTIONAL, only with written authorization] [Employee First Name]'s current base pay is [$amount] per [hour / year], paid [weekly / biweekly / semimonthly / monthly]. [OPTIONAL] In [prior calendar year], [his/her/their] total gross earnings, including [overtime / bonuses / commissions], were [$amount].
[OPTIONAL] To our knowledge, there are no current plans to change [Employee First Name]'s employment status. This statement is not a guarantee of continued employment; employment with [Company Legal Name] is at will.
Alternative body: former employee
To whom it may concern,
This letter confirms that [Employee Full Legal Name] was employed by [Company Legal Name] from [Start Date] to [End Date]. [His/Her/Their] final position was [Job Title] in the [Department] department, on a [full-time / part-time] basis.
[OPTIONAL, only with written authorization] [His/Her/Their] final base pay was [$amount] per [hour / year].
[OPTIONAL, only if company policy allows and the former employee authorized it] [Employee First Name] is eligible for rehire.
Closing
This information is provided at the request of [Employee Full Legal Name], who has authorized its release, and is accurate as of the date of this letter based on our records. It is confidential and is provided only for the purpose of [mortgage application / rental application / loan / visa / benefits eligibility / other stated purpose].
If you need to confirm this letter, please contact our Human Resources department at [HR Phone Number] or [HR Email Address], quoting reference [Verification Reference Number]. Please contact us through the details on our website rather than any number provided by the applicant.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
[Authorized Signer Name] [Title, e.g. HR Manager] [Company Legal Name]
HR record of request (internal, do not send)
- Date request received
- Requested by (employee or third party)
- Requesting organization and purpose
- Employee written authorization on file
- YesNo: verify dates and title only
- Items released
- Dates and title onlyDates, title and statusDates, title, status and pay
- Pay data checked against payroll record by
- Date letter sent
- Sent to
- EmployeeThird party directlyBoth
- Reference number
- Prepared by
How to use this template
- Confirm the request in writing: who is asking, for what purpose, and exactly which items they need.
- Get the employee's signed authorization before releasing anything beyond dates of employment and job title, and always before releasing pay.
- Pull dates, title, status and pay from the HRIS and payroll record rather than from the employee's manager or from memory.
- Choose the current or former employee version, fill every bracketed field and delete the optional lines you are not using.
- Have someone in HR or payroll with signing authority sign it on letterhead, and add a reference number.
- Send it to the employee or directly to the requester as the authorization specifies, by a secure channel.
- File the request, authorization and a copy of the letter in the employee record, and log it in the internal block.
When employees need a proof of employment letter
Most requests come from the employee and fall into a few buckets: a mortgage or auto loan, an apartment application, a visa or immigration filing, a public benefits application, a background check for a new job, or childcare and school enrollment. Former employees ask for one when a new employer's background screener cannot reach you.
Many large employers route routine requests through an automated verification service connected to payroll, so lenders can confirm dates and pay without HR writing anything. Even then, HR still writes letters for landlords, consulates and anyone who wants something on letterhead. For the process side, including what screening firms check and how, see our definition of employment verification.
What to include and what to leave out
The minimum is name, job title and dates of employment. That is also the safe default when there is no written authorization: most employers will confirm dates and title for anyone, and nothing more.
With the employee's written authorization, you can add employment status (full-time or part-time, exempt or non-exempt, average hours), current base pay and prior-year earnings. Lenders usually want pay. Landlords often want pay and a statement that employment is ongoing.
Leave out performance comments, reasons for leaving, disciplinary history, medical or leave information, and anything about protected characteristics. A verification letter is a statement of fact from records, not a reference. If someone wants an opinion on the person's work, that belongs in a reference process, using something like a reference request form with the employee's consent.
Be careful with forward-looking statements. "We expect continued employment" can be read as a promise. If a lender insists on a likelihood-of-continued-employment line, keep it factual and add the at-will statement in the template.
How this differs from other HR letters
People mix these up constantly, and requesters often ask for the wrong one:
- Employment verification letter: confirms current or past employment, title and dates, with pay when authorized. Used by lenders, landlords, agencies.
- [Salary certificate](/hr-forms-templates/salary-certificate-letter/): focuses on the pay breakdown (base, allowances, deductions). Common in visa, banking and international contexts.
- [Experience letter](/hr-forms-templates/experience-letter/): issued to a departing employee, summarizing role, tenure and often responsibilities. Expected by employers in many countries outside the US.
If the requester sends their own form (common with mortgage lenders), you can usually complete theirs instead of writing a letter, using the same authorization rules.
Legal and privacy notes
No federal law requires private US employers to provide verification letters, and no federal law sets what they must contain. Your obligations come from company policy, state law and the employee's consent. Several states restrict what employers can disclose about current or former employees, and some states and cities bar employers from asking for or using salary history in hiring, which affects how employers handle prior-pay questions from other employers. Rules vary by state and country, so check local requirements.
Pay information is personal data. Release it only with written authorization, keep a copy of that authorization, and send letters through a secure channel. Inaccurate pay figures in a mortgage file can cause real problems for the employee and expose the company; always pull from payroll, not from an offer letter or a manager's estimate.
Verification fraud is common: fake landlords, fake lenders, and applicants who give a friend's phone number as "HR." When you are the one verifying a candidate's past employment, call the company through a number you find yourself, not one on the candidate's paperwork. The same applies in reverse, which is why the template tells recipients to use your published contact details.
Handling verification requests at scale
A 2,000-person hourly workforce can generate dozens of requests a week, plus a steady flow from background screeners checking former staff. Without a process, they land on managers who either ignore them or say too much.
- Route all requests to one HR inbox or portal and tell managers not to respond to verification calls themselves.
- Publish what you will confirm without consent (dates and title) and what requires a signed release (pay, status).
- Use a standard authorization form and a standard letter, and generate letters from HRIS data so the numbers are always current.
- Set a turnaround target, such as two business days. Slow letters cost employees apartments and loan rate locks.
- When third parties write in, reply with a consistent message; our employment verification request email covers that exchange.
Frequently asked questions
What is an employment verification letter?
It is a signed letter from an employer confirming that someone works or worked there, with their job title and dates of employment. With the employee's written permission, it can also confirm employment status and pay. Lenders, landlords and government agencies commonly ask for one.
What should a proof of employment letter include?
Company letterhead, the date, the employee's full name, job title, department, start date (and end date for former employees), full-time or part-time status and, if authorized, current pay. Close with HR contact details for confirmation and the signer's name and title.
Can an employer refuse to give an employment confirmation letter?
No federal law requires a private US employer to provide one, so policies vary. Most employers will at least confirm dates and title. Some states have specific rules about service letters or disclosures to former employees, so check state law.
Can HR disclose salary in a verification of employment?
Generally only with the employee's written authorization, and many employers require it in all cases. Keep a copy of the signed release with the request and pull figures from payroll records.
Who signs an employment verification letter?
Someone with authority to speak for the company on employment records, usually an HR manager, HR generalist or payroll manager. Managers outside HR should not sign verification letters.
How long does it take to get an employment verification letter?
Most HR teams aim for one to three business days once they have the request and any required authorization. Employees applying for loans or apartments often face deadlines, so a published turnaround time helps.