• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Legal Templates

Legal Templates
  • Business Forms
    Business & Contracts

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by attorneys licensed in their respective jurisdictions, paralegals, or subject matter experts. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Business Forms
    Business Formation
    • Business Plan
    • LLC Operating Agreement
    • Articles of Incorporation
    • Corporate Bylaws
    • Buy-Sell Agreement
    Business Operations
    • Business Contract
    • Partnership Agreement
    • Non-Disclosure Agreement
    • Release of Liability
    • Letter of Intent
    Service Contracts
    • Purchase Agreement
    • Sales Agreement
    • Invoice
    • Purchase Order
    • Business Purchase
    Employment
    • Employment Contract
    • Employment Offer
    • Employment Verification
    • Freelance Contract
    • Non-Compete Agreement
    View All Business Forms
  • Real Estate Forms
    Real Estate

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by attorneys licensed in their respective jurisdictions, paralegals, or subject matter experts. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Real Estate Forms
    Landlords
    • Lease Agreement
    • Property Management
    • Eviction Notice
    • Late Rent Notice
    • Lease Termination
    Tenants
    • Room Rental
    • Sublease Agreement
    • Roommate Agreement
    • Notice to Vacate
    • Early Lease Termination
    Home Ownership
    • Real Estate Purchase Agreement
    • Mortgage Deed
    • Quitclaim Deed
    • Deed of Trust
    • Moving Checklist
    View all Real Estate Forms
  • Personal & Family Forms
    Personal and Family

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by attorneys licensed in their respective jurisdictions, paralegals, or subject matter experts. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Personal and Family Forms
    Estate Planning
    • Power of Attorney
    • Last Will & Testament
    • Living Will
    • Advance Directive
    • DNR Form
    Personal Finance
    • Bill of Sale
    • Loan Agreement
    • Purchase Agreement
    • Promissory Note
    • Sales Agreement
    Family Matters
    • Parenting Plan
    • Child Travel Consent
    • Divorce Agreement
    • Separation Agreement
    • Prenuptial Agreement
    Affidavits
    • General Affidavit
    • Gift Affidavit
    • Affidavit of Identity
    • Affidavit of Residence
    • Affidavit of Death
    View All Personal Forms
  • Support
    Resources
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Personal and Family
    • Financial
    • Estate Planning
    Support
    • About Us
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • All Legal Documents

    Monday - Friday | 9AM - 7PM EDT

    (855) 335-9779

  • Sign In
  • :email

Home Business Job Offer Letter

Job (Employment) Offer Letter Template

Use our job offer letter template to detail an employment offer to a successful candidate.

Updated July 2, 2023 | Legally reviewed by Brooke Davis

A job offer letter is a written document from an employer to a potential employee outlining the key terms of the employment, such as position, salary, and start date, serving as a formal initiation of the employment relationship.

Below is information on building and customizing an employment offer letter template to fit your unique needs. This vital part of the hiring stage can be made much easier when you utilize a well-drafted letter.

Employment Offer Letter vs. Employment Contract

A job offer letter extends the invitation to join you and your team but does not bind either party to the offered terms.

Unlike an offer letter, which often includes a disclaimer that it is not legally binding, an employment contract aims to outline and bind the parties to the details listed in it.

Table of Contents
  • Job Offer Letters By Type
  • How to Offer a Job
  • How to Write a Job Offer Letter
  • Sample
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Job Offer Letters By Type

Independent Contractor Offer Letter Template

To extend an offer to a contractor operating under a 1099 arrangement.

Independent Contractor

Internship Offer Letter

To extend an internship opportunity to an intern.

Internship

Decline Offer Letter Template

Decline Offer

Counter Offer Letter Template

Counter Offer

How to Offer a Job

When hiring, offering a job to a potential employee is a critical step. Doing it correctly can significantly increase your chances of securing your top candidate. It’s helpful to follow a structured approach to make the process smooth and impressive.

1. Pre-Offer Preparation

Before offering a job to a candidate, conducting a background check or any other necessary assessments is advisable to ensure that they meet all requirements. It’s essential to discuss the decision to offer the role with all relevant departments or individuals to ensure everyone agrees.

2. Verbal Offer

When communicating with a potential employee, it is essential to consider the best method of communication. A personal meeting is preferred, but a phone call can also be effective. Video calls are viable if the candidate is not in the same location. It is important to show enthusiasm and excitement about the possibility of the candidate joining the team. Basic employment terms, such as the position, salary, and potential start date, should also be briefly discussed.

3. Written Offer Letter

In the offer letter, provide precise details regarding the job, compensation, benefits, and other relevant terms. It’s essential also to state that the letter is an invitation for employment and not a legally binding contract. To facilitate the decision-making process, set a deadline for the candidate to respond, such as one week.

4. Respond to Queries

Make yourself available to answer questions or promptly clarify any doubts about the offer.

5. Secure Acceptance

After the candidate agrees, obtain a signed copy of the job offer letter. Then, start the onboarding process to ensure a smooth transition for the new employee.

How to Write a Job Offer Letter

When writing an offer letter to a potential new employee, you should follow guidelines that help ensure you include essential details.

This helps prevent confusion about what is being offered and allows the potential employee to make an informed decision. It is easier to structure an employment offer letter using a template, and we at Legal Templates can help.

Step 1: Basic Information

The letter should begin with general information necessary for the offer. This may include:

  • The job title and general description
  • Start date of employment
  • Orientation date and details
  • Full or part-time status

This introductory information helps to set the tone for the rest of the job offer letter. It gives the prospective employee the global details of their employment and prepares them for the rest of the elements in the remainder of the letter.

Step 2: Job-Specific Details

This part of the letter should be more specific about what the employee is being presented. This will include salary or hourly rate compensation. It may also provide details about when and how payment is made and any payment limitations.

For some jobs, it may include details about a probationary rate of pay that may change based on certain conditions. It may also have the supervisor’s name or the reporting structure for the position.

Step 3: Information on Benefits

A job offer letter should outline the benefits the employee is offered with their job. This may include, but is not limited to:

  • Health care insurance
  • 401(K) or other retirement plan options
  • Life insurance
  • Disability
  • Educational assistance
  • Flexible spending accounts (FSA) or health savings accounts (HSA)

These benefits and any others you wish to include should be spelled out so the employee can make an informed choice. This also protects your business from any misunderstandings or disputes.

Step 4: Information on Paid Leave

Whatever leave is granted as part of the employment should be covered in the job offer letter. Sick, vacation and other paid or unpaid leave forms should be clearly outlined.

Different companies handle their paid time off differently, and a job offer letter template allows you to form a prepared document to fit what your company offers its employees.

Step 5: Employment Terms

This part of the job offer letter should include other terms necessary for successful employment. This section could include the following:

  • Completion of a Form I-9
  • Confidentiality or non-compete agreements
  • Background checks
  • Drug screenings
  • At-will employee information

These and other requirements you wish to include may be handled at this early stage. They should not make any promises about employment in this job offer letter but instead outline what is expected if the employee moves forward with the process.

Step 6: Closing Statement

The closing section of a job offer letter to the successful candidate should provide helpful information, such as contact information for questions or to accept the offer. It can include statements about your excitement to bring them aboard and information about the company’s culture or goals.

This closing section should include an area where the potential employee can sign and date the document to accept the offer.

It is often advisable to include a statement that the letter is for informational purposes only and is not a legally binding contract.

Sample

Here’s what a typical employment offer letter looks like:

employment offer letter

Download PDF
Download MS Word

Frequently Asked Questions

What should be included in a job offer letter?


A good job offer letter needs to include several sections, such as:

  • Employer’s name
  • Employee’s name, together with title/position and responsibilities
  • Job-specific details, such as start date and employment type
  • Compensation details
  • Paid leave
  • Employment terms
  • Closing statement

Can an employer take back a job offer?


Employers can rescind job offers if the reason is not discriminatory.

All states, except for Montana, have employment-at-will laws, which, under most circumstances, allow employers to terminate an employee’s contract. These laws often apply to rescinded job offers, too.

Reasons an employee may rescind a job offer include:

  • The employer can no longer offer the position due to budget cuts or restructures
  • The employee takes too long to accept the job offer
  • The employee does not meet the requirements of the conditional offer
  • The employer and the employee cannot agree on specific employment terms

If an employer takes back a job offer, they could face potential legal consequences – even if they were not discriminatory. For example, an employee could attempt to sue for damages due to suffered losses because of the rescinded job offer. 

When should you use an employment offer letter?


Use an employment offer letter to formally offer jobs to new employees before they sign an employment contract.

You may initially offer a potential employee the job following an interview and then follow up with the job offer letter to formally offer them the position.

The hiring manager or HR typically sends a job offer letter.

What is the purpose of an employment offer letter?


The purpose of an employment offer letter is to formally offer a job to a successful candidate in the job hiring process.

The general purpose of the letter is to:

  • Extend an invitation to join the employer
  • Summarize the primary terms and conditions of the offer
  • Provide necessary details about the job

Is a job offer letter legally binding?


A job offer letter may not be legally binding, but certain commitments made within it may be enforceable based on jurisdiction and wording.

Can an offer letter be negotiated?


Yes, it’s possible to negotiate a job offer letter before accepting. Items such as salary, benefits, and work conditions are usually open to negotiation.

Related Employment Documents

  • Employment Contract: Use this document to hire an employee for your business, and define details like wages and working hours.
  • Employment Rejection Letter: A letter sent by the employer to a candidate to let them know they have not been chosen for a job.
  • Employment (Income) Verification Letter: A form used to verify the income and employment history of a previous or current employee.

Create your Employment Offer Letter now!

Legal Documents
  • All Legal Forms
  • Business Forms
  • Real Estate Forms
  • Personal and Family Forms
Popular Forms
  • Lease Agreements
  • Power of Attorney Forms
  • Eviction Notice
  • Living Will
  • Non-Disclosure Agreement
Resources
  • Legal Resources
  • Business
  • Real Estate
  • Personal & Family
  • Estate Planning
  • Financial
Company
  • Pricing
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Partner With Us
Users
  • Account
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
McAfee - Together is power.
Trustpilot

(855) 335-9779, Monday-Friday, 9AM - 7PM EDT

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube

Copyright 2023 Legal Templates LLC. Legal Templates LLC is not a lawyer, or a law firm and does not engage in the practice of law. Legal Templates cannot and does not provide legal advice or legal representation. All information, software and services provided on the site are for informational purposes and self-help only and are not intended to be a substitute for a lawyer or professional legal advice. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use. Legaltemplates.net is owned and operated by Resume Technologies Limited, London with offices in London United Kingdom.”

Esc
employment offer letter template

The document above is a sample. Please note that the language you see here may change depending on your answers to the document questionnaire.

Fill in the details

Thank you for downloading one of our free legal templates!

Would you leave us a review?

We hope you've found what you need and can avoid the time, costs, and stress associated with dealing with a lawyer.

A review would mean the world to us (it only takes about 15 seconds).

Please check your download folder for MS Word or open tabs for PDF so you can access your FREE Legal Template Sample

Thanks again, and good luck!

Leave My Review