An Employment Verification Letter, also known as a letter of employment or proof of income letter, is a form used to verify the income and employment history of a previous or current employee.
Landlords often use employment verification letters to ensure potential tenants are employed and have income.
What is an Employment Verification Letter?
A former or current employee may request employment verification to certify their salary and employment history for a new employer.
An employment verification form is also a common third-party prerequisite to verify an individual has the income to make monthly payments on a major expenditure — whether it be for a rental application, mortgage, or loan.
For your reference, an employment verification letter is also called a:
- Proof of Employment Letter
- Income Verification Letter
- Employment Confirmation Letter
- Salary Verification Letter
- Work Verification Letter
Who Needs a Letter of Employment?
A landlord may require a letter of employment for renting an apartment if the rent exceeds a certain amount.
Additionally, most banks require employment verification for mortgage applications.
Furthermore, a new employer may request employment verification to ensure the employee has been truthful about a previous salary and position.
What is on an Employment Verification Form?
An employment verification request form is an important document that employers should create and write with formality.
Below the company letterhead, the writer should include relevant contact and company information such as:
- Verifier’s name
- Company name
- Address
- City, state, ZIP code
If you are an employer tasked with writing an employment verification letter and have the name and address of the third party reviewing the document, include it in the salutation below the date.
The body of the salary verification letter depends on the requesting party’s requirements. For example, a landlord may only need to verify a potential tenant’s current income, whereas a new employer may require employment history and salary details.
If you don’t know the requesting party’s requirements, a standard verification of employment form should include the following information:
- Employment start date
- Employee name
- Job title
- Salary
- Annual bonus amount
- Employment end-date (if necessary)
The final paragraph of an employment confirmation letter should include the contact details of the individual responsible for verifying the employee’s information.
Conclude the work verification letter with your signature, full name, and job title.
How to Verify a Proof of Employment Letter
Obtaining a proof of income letter is often the last step a bank takes before approving a loan. Additionally, it is commonly the final step a landlord takes before handing over the keys to a tenant.
Companies sending offer letters to candidates typically request proof of income as the last step.
To protect against false claims, third parties often require employees to substantiate their employment verification letter with at least two proof of income documents.
The following documents are common pieces of proof of income produced in addition to an employment verification letter:
- Paystubs
- Tax returns (1040)
- Wage and tax statements (W-2)
- Social security proof of income / Benefits Verification Letter
- A Workers’ compensation letter
- Bank statements
Proof of Income for Self Employed Individuals
If you are self-employed, no one can provide employment income verification except yourself.
So, can you write a proof of income letter for self-employment on your behalf?
The answer is “yes.” Write an income verification letter and use the following accepted documentation to prove your income:
- IRS Form 1099 Miscellaneous Income – used by freelancers to record any job that paid $600 or more
- Tax returns
- Bank statements
Use an Independent Contractor Agreement if you are self-employed but hired to complete a specific project or task by a company.
Employment Verification Letter Sample & Templates (Word & PDF)
Here is what a typical employment verification letter looks like:
Employment Verification
Employment Verification Letter Example (with Salary)
The employment verification sample below confirms the employment of Jessica Holland at ABC Inc.
To corroborate the salary information provided, the Director of Operations, William Savage, indicates that Jessica’s pay stubs and tax return information are attached to the letter.
In addition, Mr. Savage provides his contact information if Resume Center (the requesting party) requires additional proof of employment.
Employment Letter Sample
The proof of employment letter sample below offers the employment and income verification of Matthew Simpson, previously employed as General Counsel for Company Inc.
The letter is addressed directly to the third party who requested the employment verification for Mr. Simpson — Welcome Inc.
In addition to the wage and tax statement (W-2) and pay stubs attached, Company Inc. has included an acknowledgment of a notary public to authenticate Mr. Simpson’s employment verification.
Proof of Income Letter From Employer Template
The letter of employment example below provides proof of income (both annual and bonuses) for Wilfred Lawrence.
The verifying party, Charles Lang of Forest Inc., does not include Mr. Lawrence’s contact details; however, Mr. Lang states that Mr. Lawrence’s W-2 and a letter from Workers’ compensation are part of the proof of income examples.
Letter of Employment Template
The basic proof of employment letter template below offers wage verification for Lester Jenkins’ nine years of employment at ABC 123 Inc.
The verifier, Larry Philips, does not know the contact details of the third party requesting this information and therefore uses “To Whom It May Concern” to address this employment verification letter.
No income verification documents are attached to substantiate the contents of this job verification letter. Therefore the requesting party will have to contact Mr. Philips directly to confirm the details.
How to Write an Employment Verification Letter
Step 1 – Fill in Employer Details
1. Employer Verifying Employment. Write the name (or company) of the employer verifying the employment. Also, provide the address.
Step 2 – Enter the Requesting Party Details
2. Party Requesting Employment. This is the party requesting employment verification, such as a bank or landlord. Provide the requester’s name and address. If the requester is unknown, leave this blank.
3. Contact Person. Write the name of the contact person for the party requesting verification. If the requester is unknown, use “To Whom it May Concern” to address the letter.
Step 3 – Fill in Verification Details
4. Name of Employed. Enter the name of the person the employer is verifying employment for.
5. Employment Details. This section provides employment details including company name, job title, employment start dated, and company address.
6. Salary and Bonus Information. This section provides the employee’s salary and bonus, if any. The employer can include supporting documents with this letter (keep in mind that there are state and local laws regarding salary disclosure and some require employee authorization).
Step 4 – Write Employer’s Information
7. Write Full Employer Details. This is the employer’s information – full name, title, phone number, and email address. The title, phone number, and email address are optional.
Step 5 – Get Notary Acknowledgement
8. Notary Public Acknowledgement. The section for notary public acknowledgment is optional.
