When employees and third parties ask for proof of employment, what an employment verification letter should and should not say, a sample letter you can adapt and a simple process for handling requests.
An employment verification letter, sometimes called proof of employment or a verification of employment (VOE) letter, confirms basic facts about a person’s job. It is not a reference letter. A reference describes how well someone did their job; a verification letter just confirms the facts. For references, see our employee reference letter template.
EZTime digital HR forms let you send, sign and file employee documents online.
Employees typically need one when they apply for a mortgage, car loan or apartment, apply for a visa or government benefits, or start a new job that wants to confirm previous employment.
| Item | Include? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Company letterhead, address and contact | Yes | So the recipient can confirm the letter is genuine |
| Date of the letter | Yes | Many lenders want a recent letter |
| Employee’s full name | Yes | As it appears in your records |
| Job title | Yes | Current title, or last title for former employees |
| Start date and, if applicable, end date | Yes | Exact dates from payroll records |
| Employment status | Usually | Full-time, part-time, seasonal or temporary; active or former |
| Pay rate or salary | Only with authorization | Hourly rate or annual salary; state which |
| Average hours per week | If requested and authorized | Useful for hourly employees applying for loans or housing |
| Name, title and signature of the person verifying | Yes | Someone authorized to confirm records |
Keep the letter to facts that can be confirmed from records. Avoid:
Letter checklist complete.
Factual, consistent letters reduce the risk of complaints about inaccurate or unfair statements and keep the process simple.
Employees’ pay is personal information. Before including salary or hourly rate, get the employee’s written authorization, for example a signed request form or an email from their work account asking you to include pay. Many lenders provide their own authorization form for the employee to sign. Some states have specific rules on disclosing employee information, so set a policy and follow it every time.
For hourly employees, accurate pay and hours data comes straight from your time and payroll records. Our guide to calculating payroll hours explains how to get the numbers right.
[Company letterhead]
[Date]
To whom it may concern,
This letter confirms that [Employee full name] has been employed by [Company legal name] since [start date]. [He/She/They] currently hold[s] the position of [job title] and work[s] [full-time / part-time], averaging [number] hours per week.
[Only if authorized by the employee:] [Employee first name]’s current rate of pay is $[amount] per [hour / year].
This information is provided at the employee’s request and is accurate based on our records as of the date of this letter. If you need to confirm it, please contact me at [phone] or [email].
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Title]
[Company name]
For a former employee, replace the first paragraph with: “[Name] was employed by [Company] from [start date] to [end date]. [His/Her/Their] last position was [job title].”
A digital employee file makes it easy to find start dates and titles quickly and store a copy of each letter.
Mortgage lenders often send their own verification of employment form rather than asking for a letter, and many will call to confirm employment shortly before closing. Respond accurately and promptly; delays can hold up an employee’s home purchase. For hourly or variable-pay employees, lenders may ask for year-to-date earnings and average hours. Provide exactly what is authorized and what your records show.
An employment verification letter is not the same as employment eligibility verification. Form I-9 confirms a new hire’s identity and authorization to work in the United States and is completed by the employer at hiring. It is kept in your records and is not shared with lenders or landlords. See our Form I-9 guide.
Former employees ask for verification too, sometimes years after they left, for example when applying for a mortgage or a professional license. Your records need to last long enough to answer. Federal law requires employers to keep payroll records for at least three years, and many states require longer, so dates and titles should still be available. See time record retention requirements. For former employees, confirm only the dates of employment and last title by default, and add pay only if they authorize it in writing. Send the letter to the address or email they give you, not to an old address on file.
Most verification requests fit one of four patterns. Handling each the same way every time keeps you consistent and fair:
Write these four rules into your policy and give them to every manager. It removes the guesswork and stops a well-meaning supervisor from sharing more than the employee agreed to.
There is generally no federal law requiring employers to write one, though some states have rules on providing certain employment information to employees or former employees. Most employers provide them as standard practice, and a clear policy makes the process consistent.
Yes, if the employee requests or authorizes it. Get written authorization before sharing pay information with a third party.
Someone authorized to confirm employment records, such as an HR manager, payroll manager or the business owner. Include their name, title and contact details.
With a template and good records, it should take minutes. Aim to respond within one or two business days, since employees are often waiting on a loan, lease or job offer.
It is safest to stick to dates, title and status. If you provide reasons for separation, follow a written policy, keep it factual and check your state’s rules.
Yes, if the request comes from a verified source and the employee has authorized it. Send a signed PDF on letterhead from a company address, and confirm the recipient’s identity before sending anything beyond dates and title.
In most cases there is no general legal duty to provide one, though some situations, such as certain benefit or unemployment requests, may involve required responses. Many employers limit verification to dates and title as a policy, which is a legitimate approach if applied consistently.
EZTime’s digital employee file stores documents with expiry reminders, so dates and job details are easy to confirm when a request arrives.