When you are in charge of your organization’s human resources, you may occasionally get requests from your staff members to provide employment testimonials to third parties. The perfect way to realize these requests is by drafting an employment verification form.
What is the employment verification form?
An employment verification form or letter is a document that acts as proof that someone is presently employed at a particular organization or was previously working for some organization. The form is usually used to attest to an employee’s residence in a given location, experience in a particular field, or their eligibility to enjoy specific privileges.
For reference purposes, verification of employment form is also known as a:
- Proof of employment letter
- Employment confirmation letter
- Employment eligibility verification form
- Salary verification letter
- Income verification letter
- Work verification letter
Why we require the employment verification form
If one of your staff members requests verification of employment form, it is usually for one of the following reasons:
- They are pursuing a job opportunity with another employer, and this prospective employer wants to substantiate the employee’s responses as part of a background check.
- They are appealing for a deferral or reduction on loan repayment, and the financial institution involved want to see proof of income before deciding whether to honor their appeal.
- They want to rent a house, and the property management firm wants to verify they can afford their rent payment, deposit, maintenance, and other associated costs.
- They are applying for an auto loan or home mortgage, and the bank wants to prove that the employee has a stable job or sufficient income to cover payments before approving the mortgage/loan.
Note, the employee does not need to divulge why they are requesting for an employment verification form; however, they should clarify to you the precise information the third party requires (e.g., contact information, the preferred method of delivery).
What is the purpose of the employment verification form?
Essentially, the purpose of verification of employment letters varies based on the requesting party.
As we have already mentioned, a new employer can request proof of employment to ensure that an employee has been truthful about their previous position and salary. Remember, the federal law also requires all employers to confirm new employees’ identity and employment authorization by ensuring they complete Form I-9 employment eligibility verification within three days of the contract commencement date.
An employment verification letter is also a prerequisite preferred by third parties to confirm that an employee has the income required to make monthly payments on substantial expenditure — whether for a mortgage, loan, or rental application. For example, a property manager may require an income verification letter from a tenant if the rent surpasses a certain figure.
What’s more, government agencies use the employment eligibility verification form for visa applications. Work visas usually require the holder to honor their employment contract for the time they stay in a host nation. In some instances, a visa holder can take a new position or role while maintaining their visa. But they (holders) should be proactive about the conditions for their stay to avoid deportation or even losing their work verification.
What should you include in employment verification letters?
First, the information you include in the work verification form depends on the requestor’s needs, and the federal and state requirements concerning the kind of information employers can divulge.
Secondly, before you can disclose your employee’s information to a third party, ensure that they sign a release or waiver form.
Lastly, always print the employment verification form on your organization’s official letterhead or stationery with the company logo.
The following information should never miss in an employment confirmation letter:
Employer contact information
Whether you are a previous or current employer, you should provide the company’s official phone number, mailing address, and email address so that the interested party can contact you in the future if the need arises. Also, contact information shows that your company is genuine and legitimate.
Employee information/details
Here, the form confirms that the employee worked at your organization during a specified period. You should specify when the employee began working with your organization and the time when they left your organization.
Details of employment
This part provides a brief explanation of the employee’s position or role in the organization. Here, you may provide details of the several positions that the employee held, the responsibilities they have in your organizations, their type of employment (part-time, full-time, etc.), and any achievements or awards earned by the employee.
Signature
The employment verification form should also include the HR manager’s signature at the bottom to confirm that the verification letter is an official document from a genuine organization.
To make the entire process of creating and signing employment verification letters easy and convenient, consider investing in an electronic signature solution like Foxit eSign.
The days of manually filling out and signing employment verification forms manually are long gone—ushering the way for a simpler, legally binding, and more efficient process.
Notably, most electronic signature tools offer futures that let you create templates for forms you frequently use and then populate them with data as desired. This saves you time from creating documents with the same information and signature blocks over and over again!
You will appreciate using the employment verification form template in Foxit eSign as it shifts your focus away from protracted or time-consuming tasks to performing core activities of your organization.
What not to include in the verification of employment form
Not all disclosures are allowed in employment verification letters. To avoid any potential issues with federal and state fair employment and privacy laws, keep away from mentioning things, such as sexual orientation, disability, health status, ethnicity, race, or religion in a verification form.
Usually, gender will come up in the verification form via the employee’s name or pronouns used throughout the letter. But beyond that, it’s not advisable to comment on it.
Avoid over-divulging information about the employee’s personal life, for instance, obligations they have related to their children or marital statuses.
Lastly, note that employers aren’t supposed to release information about wages and other benefits to employees in states like California and New York. Such details can only be shared with the third party after an employee signs a waiver or release form that grants permission to divulge the information.
In other words, stick to the facts and the specifics that were requested and have an attorney review any disclosures that you have doubts about.
Conclusion: Sign fillable employment form online
When drafting an employment verification form for former or current employees, it is vital to follow a consistent process, remain updated on the state and federal laws concerning what details you are allowed to divulge, and provide accurate information in a formal, brief way.
Above all, completing and e-signing employment verification forms now take just a few minutes on average.
Try Foxit eSign free for 14-days and see how electronic signature makes proof of employment easy!
