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A Guide to Employment Verification Letters

Cartoon image of two males and a female leaping into the air with joy - in the foreground hands hold a letter with the word "Accepted" across the top.

If you work in Human Resources (HR) or operate a small business where you handle most of the HR responsibilities, you might encounter a request for an employment verification letter. Both present and former employees use a proof of employment letter to verify their employment with your company.

The key to providing an employment verification letter is to know what to include in this letter and the appropriate policies to have in place to handle requests for these letters. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the purpose of employment verification letters, the methods for writing these letters, and tips for handling requests.

Why Is an Employment Verification Letter Requested?

An employment verification letter serves as an official document that helps a present or past employee prove that they either once worked for your company or currently do. An employment verification letter might be used for any of the following scenarios:

  • A former employee needs to prove their employment history to a new company.
  • A current employee is applying for lending, such as for a home mortgage, and needs to prove to a lending institution that they are employed and verify their earnings.
  • A current employee is applying for a rental and needs to verify their employment status and earnings with their new landlord.
  • A former employee wants to have official documentation on hand to use during future application processes.

In most cases, when an employee submits an employment verification letter request, they will inform you of the purpose of their letter. This will help you know what relevant information to include in the letter.

How to Write an Employment Verification Letter

If an employee has submitted a request for a verification of employment letter, the first thing you’ll want to do is find out whether the requester needs an email or a physical letter. Additionally, you’ll want to know to whom the letter should be addressed, along with the address of the organization requiring the employment verification.

When writing an employment verification letter, be sure to include the following:

  • The name of your company and your address.
  • The name and contact information of the company requesting the letter.
  • The employee’s name and job title.
  • The dates of employment.
  • The employee’s salary or compensation.

Keep in mind that depending on the state in which you are doing business, there may be additional regulations around what you are legally allowed to put in an employment verification letter. Make sure to check with local laws prior to including information in a verification letter. For example, in some states, you can provide a reason for termination if this is requested, while in other states this is protected information.

Employment Verification Letter Samples

As you begin writing a letter of employment verification, use the following samples to help get started.

Example 1: A simple letter verifying the dates a former employee worked for your organization:

TechCompany USA

123 Anywhere Street

Springfield, IL 62701

September 21, 2022

FutureTech Resolution

123 Way Drive

Springfield, IL 62701

To Whom It May Concern:

This letter is to confirm that Jeremy Litcher was employed at TechCompany from May 1, 2018, to August 2, 2022.

If you need further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 777.777.7777 or by email at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Kristin Lundham

Human Resources Specialist

TechCompany

Example 2: A more detailed letter for a loan company that includes salary information:

TechCompany USA

123 Anywhere Street

Springfield, IL 62701

September 21, 2022

Loan Star

123 Frontage Road

Pittsburgh, PA

15213

To Whom It May Concern:

Please accept this letter as verification of Jason Menderson’s employment with TechCompany USA.

Employee Name: Jason Menderson

Employment Dates: February 21, 2012 – Present

Current Job Title: Customer Service Lead

Current Salary: $75,000

If you have any questions or need any additional information, please don’t hesitate to reach out at 777.777.7777 or by email at [email protected]

Sincerely,

Kristin Lundham

Human Resources Specialist

TechCompany

Policies for Proof of Employment Letter Requests

Once you have determined your format for writing employment letters, make sure that you put a consistent policy into place for future requests. This will not only help to streamline your process but will also make sure that any person handling these HR requests is following local regulations and guidelines.

For example, if an employee, present or past, requests an employment verification letter, you should have a response on hand that quickly details the information you will need to fulfill the request. This might include a request for the following:

  • The name and address of the organization that needs the verification letter (e.g., a loan company or a new place of work).
  • The method for submitting the letter, whether by email or by physical mail.
  • The information that needs to be included, such as salary and dates of employment.

Additionally, let employees know how many days they should expect for the turnaround of this letter.

Extra Tips for Writing Employment Verification Letters

When writing an employment verification letter, you want to ensure that you are following professional standards. Use the following extra tips to polish your employment letters:

  • Keep it short: Employment verification letters should be simple, concise, and factual. They do not need to include extraneous information, such as how you feel about an employee.
  • Double check the facts: Make sure that before you submit an employment verification letter you take the time to check the information included. Never estimate employment dates or compensation. The accuracy of this information can be particularly critical in the case of lending.
  • Use a business letter format: Always include contact information on the top left-hand side of your letter. When printing the letter to be physically mailed, print the letter on business stationery.
  • Respond in a timely manner: Remember, an employee might be relying on your response to secure financing or for another time-sensitive reason. Make sure that you adhere to a quick turnaround on employment verification letters.

If you are looking for further tips on handling hiring, employment requests, and more, be sure to check out our Insights page for Hiring Teams.

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Hybrid work exhaustion is making flexibility look foolish

Pen notebook and crumpled with handwritten note TOXIC PRODUCTIVITY, means desire for productivity at all times, inability to stop working and take adequate time to rest and recharge

During the pandemic, offices shut down and employees were forced into remote work life. For some, this was a welcomed change. Many employees had been requesting remote work options for years leading up to the pandemic. For others, it was a tough transition away from their normal office routines.

For leadership, the sudden and rapid shift required quick adaptations and policy changes. New technology had to be sourced, purchased and implemented, and teams had to figure out a new cadence in a remote work setting.

Now, as things return back to normal, many companies are requesting that their employees return to the office. However, for much of the workforce, this invitation back to the office hasn’t been welcomed. According to Gallup’s 2021 State of the Workforce study, 91% of employees who were able to work remotely due to the pandemic wish to continue doing so.

To meet employees in the middle, some companies have turned to an alternative solution—hybrid work. Hybrid work mixes remote work and in-office work together to, theoretically, provide ultimate flexibility.

However, hybrid work is not without flaws, and, for many, hybrid work has actually turned out to be more exhausting than in-person or remote work on its own. In fact, 80% of human resources executives report that their hybrid systems are actually exhausting for employees. Take a look at what can make or break the success of hybrid work for your business.

Why hybrid work can lead to exhaustion

Hybrid work sounds like the ideal blend between in-person and remote work. This style of work allows employees to continue to work from home at certain times while returning to work in the office part-time.

Unfortunately, while it sounds all very nice in theory, hybrid work can quickly lead to exhaustion and even burnout for varied reasons. The following are all reasons why hybrid work might not be as successful for your company as you had hoped:

1. Continually working in a state of flux

In some situations, hybrid work leaves employees exhausted from working in a continual state of flux. Employees might need to undock and bring home laptops and other workstation items each time they leave the office. Then, they need to set up their workstation at home, only to tear it all down and try to remember to bring along important components to the office the next day.

This can be an annoying extra task and may lead to inefficiency. Employees are continually starting and stopping what they are doing as well as wasting copious amounts of time setting up and tearing down workspaces.

Not only that, but daily routines don’t stay the same. This leads to a lack of consistency in daily life, which can be frustrating and tiring.

2. Having unclear expectations

One of the number one reasons why employees get burned out by hybrid work is because of unclear expectations. When hybrid work is rolled out without clear policies and guidelines in place, it can leave employees confused. This becomes a particularly messy situation when different managers give different answers to the same question.

If employees aren’t sure when they are supposed to work from home and when they are expected in the office, or what they are expected to accomplish in both settings, it can lead to difficult situations where employees fail to meet an expectation of which they weren’t aware in the first place.

3. Feeling disconnected from coworkers and the company

Moving between in-office and at-home work can leave employees feeling more disconnected than ever from their companies and coworkers. Communication can quickly break down, and employees might no longer spend as much time collaborating with one another as before.

This is particularly problematic when it is unclear what channels should be used for communication. Some people might be having conversations directly with each other in the office, while others are using digital channels to talk. Important information can quickly be lost in the mix, and key players can be left out of decision-making processes.

This can also create an imbalance in mentorship and networking. Those who are in the office more frequently might get more face-time with the boss. Those who spend more time at home might begin to feel disconnected and left out.

4. Being frustrated by desk options

When everyone worked in-office, employees usually had their own dedicated workspaces. Every day, they arrived at the same desks and the same setups. This made it easy to quickly start the day.

In some cases, hybrid work involves a rotating desk or open-space plan. Employees must find a desk when they arrive or sign up through an online platform to request a specific space. This can be irritating when there is a lack of availability. No one wants to show up to the office only to fight for a spot to sit down and work.

How to make hybrid work successful

Hybrid work can be exhausting, however, it doesn’t have to be. There are ways in which leadership can create a successful hybrid work environment.

1. Ask employees what they want

Start by surveying your employees to determine whether or not hybrid solutions are the right fit for your team. If employees indicate an interest in hybrid work, dig deep into what they believe that will look like. This can help you align expectations and prevent miscommunication early in the process.

2. Establish clear policies

In order to balance what your employees want and what the business needs, take the time to establish and communicate clear policies to every team member. Items you should cover in your hybrid work policies include:

  • Expectations around scheduling. Will employees set their own hybrid schedules? Will their managers dictate when they show up? Are there specific requirements that have to be met? Make sure your policy details this information clearly.
  • How communication should take place. With people working both in-office and from home, where should teams go to talk about projects? If someone has a conversation in the office, how should that information be translated to remote employees?
  • Whom the policies apply to and why. You might not be able to offer the same remote flexibility to every department and team. If you are going to be operating with multiple styles of work, make sure everyone understands where they fall in relation to expectations.

3. Find the right technology for your team

It is incredibly important to keep information and communication standardized and synchronized. Make sure that you have the right technology in place for both in-person and remote employees to be successful. This should allow for collaboration that is seamless from any location and should make project management easier for blended teams.

4. Create culture in creative ways

Hybrid work doesn’t need to result in a disconnected workforce. In fact, there are companies that have operated as fully remote from day one. These companies are using creative ideas to instill company culture and connection.

For hybrid work, consider hosting an in-person event once a month where everyone comes to the office on the same day. Schedule face-time with remote employees and consider a virtual post-work event. Make sure that during onboarding, employees have the chance to connect with coworkers and that company values are clearly defined and reinforced.

Hybrid work holds a lot of promise. However, for many employees, a poorly executed hybrid style of work is more exhausting than remote or in-person options. Pay attention to your own workforce and look for ways to create a better approach.

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Termination Letter Writing (With Examples and Template)

Emploinment termination letter. Unfair dismissal concept.

When you are in charge of managing employees, whether directly or through a human resources role, there may come a point in time when you need to terminate an employee. While terminating an employee is rarely an enjoyable task, a properly composed termination letter can make the process much smoother.

One key document during the process is a termination letter. An employee termination letter serves as an official termination notice. It is a simple correspondence that outlines important information regarding the end of an employee’s time with your business.

In this guide, we’ll help you learn everything you need to know about writing an employee termination letter, along with termination letter examples and samples.

What Is a Letter of Termination of Employment?

A letter of termination of employment, frequently called a termination notice or termination letter, is an official correspondence used to document and explain the end of a worker’s employment with an organization. Companies will use these letters to explain to an employee the details surrounding their termination, including key information such as when their last day of work will be and when they can expect to receive their last paycheck.

There are two ways an employee might be terminated—voluntarily or involuntarily. Voluntary termination occurs when an employee resigns, quits, or completes a contract. An involuntary termination takes place when a business terminates a person’s employment with or without cause.

When Should You Provide a Letter of Termination?

You should provide a letter of termination to an employee immediately after informing them of their end of employment. If you operate in the state of Arizona, California, Illinois, or New Jersey, a termination letter to employee is a legally required document. While you might not be legally required to provide this letter to employees in other states, it is still a business best practice. Ideally, providing this document in a timely manner will allow an employee the most time possible to find a new job.

Termination Letter Template

If you are tasked with writing a termination letter, you can use the following termination letter template to help you get started. For more inspiration, check out the termination letter examples below as well.

[Date]

Dear [Employee’s Name],

This letter is to inform you that your time of employment with [Company Name] is terminated effective [date of termination] due to [factual reasons for termination].

[Insert any applicable documentation or details if termination is with cause]

Your final paycheck will be provided to you on [date] and will include [compensation such as unused leave].

Your health care benefits will continue through [date].

Please return the following company property to Human Resources immediately:

[Property to be returned]

If you have any further questions, please contact me at [phone number] or [email].

Sincerely,

[Name]

[Job Title]

Termination Letter Examples

If you need help writing a termination letter, use the following examples as a showcase of how to include the right amount of details in your letter. Be sure when using a template or example to replace all copy with relevant information.

Termination Letter Example 1: Layoffs

September 12, 2022

Dear Stanley Meris,

Over the past two years, COVID has taken a toll on the profits of ABC Edge Agency. As we look forward, we are forced to reassess our budgets and spending in order to mitigate losses. In restructuring our company, we have determined the best course of action is to eliminate 200 positions at the company. I regret to inform you that we will remove your position as customer service representative as of September 13, 2022.

Your final paycheck will be provided to you on September 13 and will include all unused leave. Your healthcare benefits will continue through September 30, 2022.

Please return the following company property to Human Resources before your last day with the company:

  • Cell phone
  • Laptop
  • Headset

If you have any further questions, please contact me at 777.555.3333 or [email protected].

Thank you for your hard work over the past three years.

Sincerely,

Karen Filips

CEO, ABC Edge Agency

Termination Letter Example 2: With Cause

September 12, 2022

Dear Brandie Waters,

This letter confirms our conversation today, informing you that your employment with ABC Retail is terminated effective immediately. You have been terminated for the following reasons:

  • On August 10, you received notice of a no call no show violation.
  • On August 23, you received a second notice of a no call no show violation.
  • On September 1, you were put on an improvement plan (see attached signed document).
  • On September 9, you receive a third notice of a no call no show violation, putting you in violation of your improvement plan.

Your final paycheck will be provided to you on September 13. Your health insurance benefits will continue through September 30.

You must return the following ABC Retail property to human resources immediately:

  • 5 Employee Polos
  • 1 Headset
  • 1 Radio

Should you have further questions, please contact me directly at 888.999.2222 or by email at [email protected].

Sincerely,

Phylis Wall

District Manager of ABC Retail

Termination Letter Best Practices

When terminating an employee, use the following best practices to help guide the process.

  • Work with a lawyer: Depending on where your company is located, you may need to adhere to specific laws when writing a termination letter. To ensure that you obey all termination of employment laws, consult with a lawyer before you begin the process.
  • Have a conversation first: Before you hand the termination of employment letter to a worker, have a conversation with the employee one-on-one. Let the employee know about their termination prior to providing them with the document.
  • Don’t get personal: While you must include details explaining the reason for terminating an employee in your termination letter, make sure you keep it professional. Even if you struggled with an employee’s behavior or attitude, a termination letter is not an appropriate place to include a personal rant. Doing so is not professional, and it can put you and your organization at risk of a lawsuit.
  • Be clear and concise: In some cases, providing a notice of termination to an employee can be difficult. You might be tempted to try to soften the blow by including extra information in your letter. However, a termination letter should be kept short and to the point. This letter should only contain pertinent information about an employee’s termination, not an expression of your sadness or remorse.

To learn more about how to handle employee hiring and termination, stay tuned to our employer insights center, where you’ll find helpful guides and articles specifically designed for the modern employer.

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Job Search Engines Vs. Job Boards and Ladders

People searching for a new job. Job search concept on blue background.

If you’re like many employers in today’s market, you have at least a handful of open positions to fill today or in the near future. And even if it’s not a handful of open jobs at this very moment, every organization has open positions from time to time that need to be filled or backfilled.

So, how do you get your open job out there for candidates to see? There are a few options to target the talent pool you desire, including online job search engines and job boards. In this post, we highlight where it’s best to advertise your open role and how Ladders Recruiter can help you land the right candidates.

What’s the Purpose of Job Boards?

Jobs boards:

  • Typically host specialized positions by location, career type, or industry.
  • Host job posts submitted by recruiters and hiring organizations.
  • Work well when you have a highly specialized or niche position to fill.
  • Often display jobs shown on more than one job board as employers try to increase their recruitment talent pool and reach.
  • Often charge a fee to host a job for a specified period of time.

Hundreds of thousands of online job boards host open positions for employers. Job boards generally have an area of focus or specialization—some focus on geographical locations, a particular industry, like accounting, engineering, and security jobs, or cater to a specific talent pool searching for a specific type of job, like remote and temporary work. It’s common practice for a single employer to post on several relevant job boards to increase their reach and chances of identifying the right candidate for their open positions.

Job boards are often hosted by:

  • Local Chambers of Commerce.
  • Professional associations and organizations.
  • Universities and colleges.
  • Employers via their company websites.

How Do Job Search Engines Work?

Though the terms job boards and job search engines are used interchangeably by many, they do have some clear differences. Job search engines look across web pages and aggregate job listings by pulling from company career websites, job boards, and other websites. Similar to how the Google search engine works, job search engines use an algorithm to crawl over thousands of web pages to identify job listings and display them as a list of results.

Differences Between Job Boards and Job Search Engines

Where job boards typically focus on a particular job type, location, or industry, job search engines, like Ladders, receive job listings from thousands of online sources and aggregate them. Additionally:

  • Job search engines are backed by more candidates visiting them, so they tend to reach a lot more candidates than job boards do. Job boards tend to have a smaller candidate pool visiting them due to their specialization.
  • Job search engines index jobs from several online sources, including job boards and company career pages. Job boards, on the other hand, host positions that employers post directly to the board—they do not aggregate or pull jobs from other sites.
  • Posting to multiple job boards can add up and become costly for employers. With job search engines, an employer can sign up for free to post a job and review applications and then upgrade later for greater reach and features if they choose to do so.
  • Job boards typically sell respective job details or postings. Job search engines, on the other hand, often offer a performance-based job advertising model that provides flexibility, and the service or job posting can be stopped at any time.
  • Job boards can work well for employers that have niche or highly specialized positions. At the same time, job aggregators, or job search engines, make it easier to track applications coming in, since they’re coming in from a single source vs. having to track applicants from several job boards.
  • Job aggregators often provide the option to integrate your applicant tracking system (ATS) with their platform to help you streamline the application process. Job boards generally do not provide such a feature. With job boards, one of the following typically occurs:
  • Emails are generated and sent to you when applicants apply for your position
  • You have to go in manually and check the board for applications.
  • You outline the directions for applying for the job, and applicants apply to you directly through your ATS or by email.

Is Ladders a Job Board?

Ladders works with thousands of high-end, verified recruiters who either post jobs, source highly qualified professionals from the Ladders’ database, or both, growing their teams from their $100K-$500K+ candidate pool. Ladders’ high-level talent comes with an average of 15+ years’ experience and $154K median income. Additionally, 36% have master’s degrees, and 89% have bachelor’s degrees. These features help employers to fill their open positions from a large candidate pool of top talent.

Ladders also offers advanced search filters and a Boolean search feature to allow for advanced targeting of high-end professionals. You also have the capability to save your in-depth searches, which allows Ladders to make recommendations to you, read resumes with full contact info as you search (without losing your place in search), ATS integration and more. You can post your job for free and upgrade as your needs expand.

How Does Ladders Stack Up?

Ladders is the leader in $100K-$500K+ job search, which provides hiring managers and recruiters with a starting point of high-end, qualified talent, and from there, you get a focused search based on specific needs. Ladders offers:

  • 7 million users: pre-assessed and targeted as active or passive $100K-$500K+ job seekers.
  • 15 years’ experience on average, so no enthusiastic amateurs, just professionals.
  • 89% with a bachelor’s degree and 36% with a master’s degree—you have access to educated and proactive talent.
  • $154K median member income—talent meets achievement meets results.

Should You Diversity Your Search?

In many circumstances, it’s wise for employers and recruiters to utilize a multifaceted approach when hiring for jobs. Such an approach gives you access to a larger talent pool and can help combat high market competition when utilizing only one job board or job search engine.

If you have open positions you need to fill, you might choose to post them on a job board, on several job boards, a job aggregator, more than one job aggregator, or both job boards and aggregators. Your choice will be driven in part by your budget, your target market, and the resources you have available to sift through resumes and applications.