How to Write the Perfect Employment Verification Letter

If you’re an HR veteran, chances are that you’ve had to create more than just a few "proof of employment" letters. For teams with a lot on their plates already, these requests can create unnecessary challenges due to their frequency and how long they take to generate.

There's no shortage of questions to consider. What template should you use for the letter? What information should be included? If you're not careful, you can run the risk of letting sensitive employee information fall into the wrong hands.

We'll cover three different scenarios that require proof of employment letters and outline what information should be shared in each.

Renting a Home or Apartment

More often than not, renting a home or apartment requires applicants to show proof that they actually work at the company they’ve listed on their application.

In this scenario, the landlord or real estate company is the party requesting proof of employment. They care about where the applicant works, what their job title is, and how much money they earn. All of these data points can help solidify an employee’s rental application, giving them the best chance to secure a lease.

If you receive a letter request for an individual going through this process, be sure to include these key points:

• Place of employment
• Title
• Start date
• Gross salary

Although it isn't required, you may want to comment on the employee’s probability of continued employment or eligibility for a bonus to further strengthen their application.

Starting a New Job

From home addresses to financial records, HR teams are constantly handling and processing sensitive employee information. This makes data security a crucial responsibility for any HR leader during the employment verification process.

If the request is coming from an employer looking to check references, it’s critical that employee salary data is not shared.

With this in mind, proof of employment letters require a keen eye for detail. If the request is coming from an employer looking to check references, it’s critical that employee salary data is not shared. As of this writing, 11 states have legislation in place that prohibits employers from seeking out candidates' pay history. As a safeguard, you should not share salary data with any employer. The candidate will always have the option to share it themselves if their state allows it.

So, if you receive a request from an employer, be sure to include the following:

• Place of employment
• Start date and end date
• Employee title

Immigration or Visa Requests

The last type of request for proof of employment comes during a visa or immigration process. These letters differ from the others because they require more details, including dates of travel and other federally-required information.

Applying for a work visa is a competitive process. It’s important to give your employee the best shot at success by including a robust proof of employment letter with their application. This type of letter should include:

• Place of employment
• Office location
• Start date
• Title
• Dates of travel
• Job description
• End date (if a part of an internship/training program)

As a rule of thumb, always include your own job title, contact information, and the address of the company in the letterhead of any employment letter. Make sure to provide your signature at the bottom to ensure authenticity.

Another option HR teams are exploring is employment letter automation. Truework enables teams to easily customize and generate their employment letters. This gives employees the power to generate proof of employment letters for each of the above scenarios, instantly and at their own convenience, with no manual work from HR. You can learn more about how our technology works here.