Elena Prokopets
Can you provide proof of employment? That’s a valid request you may get from a new landlord, your bank advisor, or even a new employer.
If you’re wondering what counts as proof of employment and how to get an employment verification letter, read on!
What is Proof of Employment?
A proof of employment is evidence that verifies your current or past employment by a company. Examples of proof of employment documents include pay stubs, tax documents (e.g., a W-2 form), employment contracts, or proof of employment letter printed on the company’s letterhead and signed by the hiring manager.
You may be asked to provide proof of employment whenever you sign a new apartment lease, secure a loan, apply for government benefits (like unemployment benefits), or purchase new insurance. In each case, the requesting party uses the provided documents to verify your current status and assess your employment history.
What is an Employment Verification Letter?
An employment verification letter is an official document issued by your company to confirm your employment status and details. It’s a type of proof of employment document you can submit to a bank, landlord, government agency, or your next employer.
The letter should detail the following:
- Your job title
- Length of employment time
- Your current salary (if requested)
- Any other information you wish to disclose.
The latter may differ depending on the purpose of your letter. For example, if you need one to secure a mortgage loan, you may also ask the employer to mention any bonuses you received recently (e.g., a retention bonus or a performance-based one). If you request a previous employment verification letter to pass a background check with a new employer, you may also ask them to mention your responsibilities or performance evaluations.
Employment Verification Letter vs Letter of Recommendation: The Differences
An employment verification letter is very different from a recommendation letter.
- The purpose of an employment verification letter is to state facts about your employment status and history.
- The purpose of a letter of recommendation is to attest your skills, competencies, and suitability for a particular role.
Employment verification letters don’t pass judgment about your qualifications or personality traits — they merely summarize your employment details.
A recommendation letter, in turn, provides a subjective assessment of your strengths, skills, and performance in the past role provided by a former employer, mentor, or colleague. The goal of a personal recommendation letter is to provide a direct endorsement and back up the claims you make on your resume and your cover letter.
A recommendation letter also has a different intended audience — a new employer, an educational institution, or another type of organization where you seek admission. A letter of employment verification is mostly intended for financial institutions and government agencies.
Sample Employment Verification Letter Template
This is an example that can be used for a current employer to confirm your current state of employment with their company.
Your name
Your job title
Company name
Address
City, State Zip Code
Today’s date
The Recipient’s contact name
Company position/job title
Company name
Address
City, State Zip Code
[Organization Name],
This is an official employment verification letter to verify that [Employee Name] has been employed at [Company Name] from [start date] till [end date or present] at the position of [role name].
The employee’s annual gross salary is [number], and they are also entitled to an annual bonus of [bonus size] in May 2024.
For further information, contact our company at [email or phone number]
Regards,
Handwritten Signature
Authorized representative name
Title or position
Company name
How To Get An Employment Verification Letter
To get admitted, an employment verification letter must be a formal letter from your employer and contain a signature.
Depending on where you work(ed), there are three standard ways to get an employment verification letter: from your manager, from HR, or using an online form.
Approach Your Supervisor
In smaller companies, your direct manager should be able to provide you with an employment verification letter.
Shoot a quick email explaining the context, i.e., that you need a formal letter to submit to an institution. They’ll either issue one for you or explain the proper corporate procedure for submitting a request. Make sure that your employer is aware of the details they need to include if the organization requests any specific one.
This may get trickier if you’re approaching a former employee. No matter whether you left on good terms with your previous employer or not, you still have a right to ask for an official employment verification letter. Approach them with a polite, formal request. You can send them an email request, make a phone call, or write a request letter asking them to supply you with a verification letter that states the details of your previous position.
File a Request with an HR
In larger companies, you’ll need to route your request for an employment verification letter to the HR department. In this case, the team will issue a standard letter using the corporate template.
Or, if you need the document in a specific format, provide an employment verification letter template for them to fill in. This way, you’ll be sure to get all the details the requesting party needs.
Once you’ve received your letter, pay you to respect and acknowledge their help. You never know when you may need HR help again, so it’s wise to keep a good relationship going.
Online Employment Verification System
Many larger companies have online verification request forms that you can fill out via their website or internal employee portal. That’s usually the fastest way to get your employment verification letter, although it may be issued in a standard format. If the copy lacks important details, ask someone in HR to help you customize it.
How To Write An Employment Verification Letter
You may need to provide an employment verification letter for your team member or guide your supervisor through the process of writing one. Here are some quick tips for writing a letter of employment verification quickly.
Use the Correct Formatting
The letter should follow a formal business letter format and style. This means including the company contact information at the top, followed by the date and the recipient’s contact information right after.
Like a regular business letter, it should include a salutation at the beginning and leave a space for a handwritten signature at the end.
Summarize the Employment Details
An employment verification letter offers condensed information. It should include the employee’s name, title, and the department they worked for, if applicable. Next, state the employment dates. Add the employee’s salary and payment terms (weekly, bi-weekly, etc.) if requested.
For contractors, you may instead include the number of weekly/monthly hours they worked and the payment terms. For example:
Wood Inc. employed Samuel Li as a carpenter on a fixed-duration contract of 12 weeks. His weekly net remuneration was $2,500, and the total compensation paid by the end of the contract was $30,000.
Avoid including any extra information, such as an evaluation of the employer’s performance, personality, or working relationships with others at the company.
Sign Off Professionally
You should also provide your employer’s contact information so that the recipient can contact you for more information. It is always polite to end the letter by offering to answer any further questions that may be needed. Afterward, add a handwritten signature with your name, title, and company name.
Sample Previous Employment Verification Letter
Below is a sample employment verification letter that can be used to confirm the details of an employee’s previous employment.
Employee name
Employee job title
Company name
Address
City, State Zip Code
Today’s date
The Recipient’s contact name
Company position/job title
Company name
Address
City, State Zip Code
This letter attests that Myriam May was employed at Storybrook Marketing as a UX designer from 1 April 2021 to 30 November 2023.
During her time in the company, Ms May was promoted from Associate to Lead UX Designer in June 2023 based on positive peer and supervisor evaluations.
If you require any additional information regarding Ms May, please contact me at emma.white@email.com.
Sincerely,
(Handwritten Signature)
Emma White
Managing Director
Storybrook Marketing
Conclusions
You now have all the details to request an employment verification letter or write one. Remember: It’s a short document that doesn’t need to go beyond facts. Double-check that all the details are accurate, and submit your letter confidently to a requesting party!
