How to Ask for an Employment Verification Letter (Examples)

An Employment Verification Letter also referred to as a proof of income or letter of employment, is a letter that shows that an employee worked in a certain organization.

The letter is usually written by the employee’s current or previous employer.

Alternative Names

Other names that can be used to refer to an employment verification letter include:

• Work verification letter
• Income verification letter
• Proof of employment letter
• Salary verification letter

Several things must be included in an employment verification request letter.

Including:

• The employer’s address
• The name of the organization
• The address of the organization requesting the employment verification letter
• Your name and job title
• Employment duration (Start and end date)

Other critical information (optional) that may also be included in the letter include:

• Your job salary
• Date of birth
• Social security number

There are several reasons why you may need to request an employment income verification letter from your employer.

These include:

Pursuing new employment

It is common for most employers to request new applicants to submit an employment verification letter to confirm their employment information and qualifications listed on their resume to ascertain if they are the ideal candidate for a given position.

Some employers may request that you submit the letter during your application, while others may request that you submit the form during the onboarding period. Therefore, it is essential to request your previous employer to write you the employment verification letter whenever you are applying for a new job.

Applying for a mortgage or loan

Financial institutions such as banks, credit SACCOs, and insurance companies usually require applicants applying for a home mortgage or loan to provide an income verification letter to determine the amount of loan to qualify for and whether they will be able to repay the amount awarded.

Applying to rent a property

Property owners usually require new applicants to have an employment verification letter before renting or leasing their property. This ensures that the applicant’s earnings are enough to enable them to make rent payments and still sustain themselves.

Seeking a reduction in loan payments

Many times people find themselves applying for loans without anticipating any changes in their earnings. An employment verification letter can help you negotiate new loan repayment structures with your lenders if your earning is affected due to demotions, relocations, health-related issues, etc.

A loan reduction will allow you to make smaller loan repayments to the lender over a more extended than initially set period. To negotiate for a loan reduction, you may be required to present an employment verification letter showing your current income together with other documents such as hospital bills if you are requesting loan reduction due to health-related issues.

Participating in legal proceedings

The court may require that you provide an employment verification letter if you are participating in legal proceedings that the outcomes are tied to your financial disposition, such as child custody or the right to adopt. The employment verification letter will help the court determine whether you will take care of the child’s needs by reviewing your current income.

Visa offices/processes

When applying for a Visa or renewal of a Visa, the Visa offices may require that you submit an employment verification letter to verify your ongoing employment to confirm your eligibility to enter or remain in a country. For instance, if you are working for a regional office branch and you are relocated to the main headquarters located in another country, you may need to present an employment verification letter to the Visa offices to show that you are currently an employee of that company and are relocating to the new offices to continue with your employment.

How to Request an Employment Verification Letter

An employment income verification letter is an important letter that can make or break your chances of getting a loan, being employed by an organization, or negotiating a load reduction. As such, it is vital to maintain the highest level of professionalism when requesting an employment verification letter from either your current or previous employer.

To ensure that you get it right, make sure to follow the steps mentioned below:

Know whom to ask for

The person to ask for the verification letter will be determined by your current situation. For instance, if you are currently unemployed and are applying for a job opening in a new organization, you may need to request your previous employer to write you the letter. On the contrary, if you are applying to rent a property or for a loan or mortgage, you will need to request your current employer for it.

Contact them through an email

Using a professional email is a great way to capture your employer’s attention. Whether you are requesting your previous or current employer, consider sending them a professionally written email, as this will significantly increase your chances of getting a timely response.

Explain your reason for requesting the letter

Ensure that you explain why you are requesting the letter, give them a due date to show the urgency of the letter, and thank them in advance for their corporation. You can also set a date for when you will follow up or meet them in person, via skype, or call them over the phone regarding the verification letter.

Provide a letter template to them for use

Although employers usually get requests for employment verification letters and may already have a template for that purpose, it is essential to send them an outline of what they should include in the verification letter. This will save them time searching for the template or coming up with one from scratch and researching what to include.

Give necessary details to submit the letter

State in the email where and how the employer will be submitting the letter. Depending on what you are applying for, you may be required to submit the letter in person; the employer may be required to mail or fax the verification letter to the organization or send it in an email format. Make sure to state how they are supposed to send the verification letter to avoid inconveniences.

Send them a thank you note/gift

Courtesy demands that you thank your employer after they have sent the verification letter. You can choose to gift them a gift card, thank you note or email, flowers, or a small gift to show your appreciation. Maintaining a good relationship with your employers is crucial as you may never know when you may need them for your next task.

Sample and Template: Employment Verification Request Letter

Here are a sample and a template that you can use when requesting your employer for a verification letter:

Following are some free downloadable templates for you:

• Use a standard business format while drafting the verification letter. This will make the letter appear more professional and easier to read. Thereby increasing your chances of a timely response.
• Give the employer enough time to respond to your request. Although this will majorly depend on the urgency of the verification letter, make sure to give them enough time to respond.
• It is essential to maintain a good relationship with your employers. You may never know when you need them next.