An employment verification letter is a short, signed statement from an employer confirming that a person works or worked there. Most letters confirm job title and dates of employment, and some add pay or status when the employee asks. Here’s when employers get these requests, what to put in a letter, what to leave out, and how a letter differs from the employment verification in a background check.
What is an employment verification letter?
An employment verification letter, sometimes called a proof of employment letter, confirms facts about someone’s job. It’s usually written by HR or a manager on company letterhead. The employee or a third party asks for it, and the employer decides what to include, within company policy and state law.
A letter is different from a reference. A verification letter confirms facts. A reference gives an opinion about how well someone did the job.
Who asks for one?
Requests usually come from the employee, on behalf of someone who needs proof of income or work history:
- Mortgage lenders and banks checking income for a loan
- Landlords and property managers screening a rental application
- New employers confirming work history
- Government agencies handling benefits, immigration or licensing
- Schools and lenders reviewing financial aid or student loan applications
What to include
Keep the letter factual and limited to what the requester needs. A standard letter includes:
- Company name, address and contact details, on letterhead
- The date the letter is written
- The employee’s full name
- Job title
- Start date, and end date if the person has left
- Full-time or part-time status
- Salary or hourly pay, only when the employee has asked for it in writing
- The name, title and signature of the person verifying
What to leave out
A letter that only confirms facts carries little risk. Problems start when it goes further. Leave out:
- Opinions about performance or attitude, unless the employee asked for a reference
- Medical, disability or leave details
- Disciplinary history and the reason for leaving, unless your policy or state law calls for it
- Pay, unless the employee authorized it
Pay deserves extra care. Many states and cities limit asking about or sharing pay history, so get the employee’s written OK before confirming pay.
Does an employer have to provide one?
Whether you have to provide one depends on your state. Many employers do it as a courtesy and set a policy for who handles requests.
A few states have service letter laws that require one for former employees in certain cases, so check your state’s rules or ask employment counsel.
How to handle a request
- Confirm who’s asking. Verify that the request is real, especially if it comes from a third party by phone or email.
- Get the employee’s permission. A signed release protects you and the employee, and it’s required before sharing pay in many places.
- Route it to one place. Send all requests to HR so answers stay consistent.
- Stick to facts. Confirm what your records show and nothing more.
- Keep a copy. File the letter and the request with the employee’s records.
Employment verification letter template
[Company letterhead]
[Date]
To whom it may concern:
This letter confirms that [employee name] has been employed by [company name] as a [job title] since [start date]. [He/She/They] work[s] [full-time/part-time]. [Optional, with written authorization: Current annual pay is $[amount].]
Please contact me at [phone] or [email] with any questions.
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Title]
Verification letters vs. employment verification in a background check
A letter is something the employee asks for and the employer writes. Employment verification in a background check works the other way around. A hiring company, usually through a screening provider, contacts past employers to confirm what a candidate reported.
When a background screening company does that verification, the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires a written disclosure and the candidate’s signed authorization first. See our guide to FCRA-compliant background check services.
At VICTIG, employment verification works like this:
- VICTIG verifies employers, including current employers, only with the applicant’s permission.
- Applicants can mark any employer “Do Not Contact” in VICTIG’s Quick App. VICTIG then emails them to ask permission before verifying it.
- VICTIG confirms position and dates of employment, and also asks about full-time or part-time status and the reason for leaving.
- VICTIG never asks about salary.
- Average turnaround is 3 to 5 business days.
In practice, most HR departments only confirm position and dates. For more on what a full screening covers, see what does a background check show? and what is an employment background check?
Frequently asked questions
What is an employment verification letter?
A signed letter from an employer confirming that someone works or worked there. It usually lists job title, dates of employment and, when the employee authorizes it, pay.
Who writes an employment verification letter?
Usually HR, payroll or the employee’s manager, on company letterhead.
Is an employer required to provide one?
It depends on your state. Many employers provide one as a courtesy, and a few states have service letter laws that require one for former employees in certain cases.
Can an employer share salary in a verification letter?
Only with care. Get the employee’s written permission first, and check state and local laws, since some limit sharing pay history.
How long does it take to get one?
It depends on the employer’s policy. Many HR teams respond within a few business days.
Is a verification letter the same as a reference?
No. A verification letter confirms facts like title and dates. A reference gives an opinion about the person’s work.
Does employment verification in a background check include salary?
Not at VICTIG. VICTIG confirms position and dates, asks about full-time or part-time status and the reason for leaving, and never asks about salary.
Is an employment verification letter the same as Form I-9?
No. Form I-9 confirms someone is eligible to work in the US. See our Form I-9 and E-Verify guide.
Make verifications easier
Whether you’re answering requests or verifying candidates, a clear policy saves time. If you’d like help verifying candidates’ work history, talk to VICTIG.
