Template Included: How to Professionally Respond to an Employment Verification

As a manager, HR professional, or business owner, you will frequently receive requests to verify the employment of a current or former employee. These requests can come from mortgage lenders, landlords, or prospective new employers. Responding to these requests promptly and professionally is important, but it's also critical to protect your company from legal risk by only providing appropriate and factual information. This guide explains the best practices for responding and provides a clear template you can use.

The Problem: Saying Too Much or Too Little

The primary challenge when responding to an employment verification request is balancing helpfulness with legal prudence. If you provide subjective, negative information (e.g., "He was often late"), you could open your company up to a defamation lawsuit. On the other hand, refusing to respond at all can hinder a former employee's ability to secure a loan or a new job. You need a standard policy that is both safe and effective.

The Solution: A "Facts-Only" Policy and a Standard Template

The universally accepted best practice is to adopt a strict "facts-only" policy. This means you only confirm objective, verifiable information from the employee's official personnel file. You do not offer any subjective opinions, commentary on performance, or personal anecdotes. By creating a standard template for your responses, you ensure that you and anyone else in your company provides the same, safe level of information every time.

Important: Get Consent First!

Before you release any information, you should have a signed consent form from the employee or former employee. Often, the entity requesting the verification (like a mortgage company) will provide you with a consent form that the employee has already signed. If they do not, you must obtain written permission from the employee before proceeding. A simple email from the employee stating, "I, [Employee Name], authorize [Your Company] to release my employment information to [Requesting Party]" is sufficient.

What You Can Safely Disclose (The Facts)

Your response should be limited to the following data points:

Employee's Full Name
Dates of Employment (Start Date and End Date)
Job Title(s) Held
Current or Final Salary/Wage (Only if consent is explicitly given for this)

What You Should NEVER Disclose

Reason for leaving (resignation, termination, layoff)
Job performance details
Eligibility for rehire
Disciplinary actions
Attendance records
Personal opinions or character assessments

The Professional Response Template

Use the following template for all written (email or letter) responses. It is professional, concise, and limits your disclosure to only the necessary facts.

Subject: Employment Verification for [Employee's Full Name]

Dear [Requesting Party's Name],

This letter is in response to your request for employment verification for [Employee's Full Name], for which they have provided consent.

In accordance with our company policy, we can confirm the following information from their employment record:

Start Date: [Employee's Start Date]
End Date: [Employee's End Date, or "Present" if currently employed]
Last Position Held: [Employee's Last Job Title]

(Optional: Only include if specifically requested and consented to)

We can also confirm their final rate of pay was [Salary/Hourly Wage].

Our company policy prohibits us from providing any further information regarding job performance, reason for departure, or eligibility for rehire.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Title]

[Your Company Name]

[Your Contact Information]

Handling Verbal Requests

It's best to avoid providing verifications over the phone, as there is no paper trail. If you receive a verbal request, you should state:

"Thank you for calling. To ensure accuracy and for security purposes, it is our company policy to only respond to employment verification requests in writing. Please email your request along with the employee's signed consent form to [Your Email Address], and I will be happy to process it for you."

This response is professional and directs the requester to the proper, secure channel.

Conclusion: Protect Your Company and Your Employees

Responding to employment verification requests is a standard part of business operations. By establishing a strict, facts-only policy and using a standardized template, you can provide the necessary information to help your current and former employees while protecting your company from potential legal liabilities. This professional and cautious approach is the gold standard in human resources and management.

Community Discussion

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