How To Write an Employment Verification Letter (For Employers)

Employment verification is a crucial part of the tenant screening process. It helps property managers mitigate tenant fraud and verify that prospective tenants have the financial means to pay rent, deposits, and other rental expenses. 

Typically, property managers request payslips, tax returns, or official bank statements as proof of income—but sometimes, they’ll also request an employment verification letter to confirm a tenant has reliable income from a legitimate job. 

As an employer, you may receive a request to write an employment verification letter—either from an employee or directly from the property manager. When you get these requests, respond with a clear, professional, and accurate letter to assist your employee and the property manager.

Not sure how to write one? You’ve come to the right place. We’re sharing what to include in your employment verification letter (and what not to), plus a sample template you can use to create yours.

What is an Employment Verification Letter?

An employment verification letter is a document that confirms an employee’s job status, income, and other relevant employment details. You might receive a request to provide one if your employee applies to rent a home and the property manager wants to confirm they can afford their deposit, rent, maintenance, and relevant costs.

Property managers usually request these letters during the tenant screening process to:

• Avoid leasing to tenants who can’t afford rental costs
• Weed out fraudulent tenants
• Reduce risks of expensive eviction processes
• Ensure legal compliance

Employment verification letters can seriously impact whether your employee’s rental application receives a property manager’s approval (or denial) and can have broader implications if you’re not careful. 

That’s why writing accurate and professional letters is essential to maintain trust and protect all parties throughout the process.

Key Components of an Employment Verification Letter

When writing an employment verification letter, include the essentials—like employee details, duration, and more. Here’s a breakdown of each element and why they matter.

Employer Details

First and foremost, the letter should include employer details—like your company name, address, logo, and contact info. If your company has a website, include the URL as additional proof that your company is legitimate. 

You should also include your name and position (or the name and position of whoever writes the letter). This builds trust with the property manager by giving them a verifiable company contact—someone they can reference should they choose to contact the company or search online records.

Employee Details

All employment verification letters should highlight key details about the employee whose employment they verify. At a minimum, you should include the employee’s full name and job title. 

Other supplemental information—like a brief description of their role, responsibilities, and employment status (full-time, part-time, or a contractor) upon request—is also helpful. 

Employment Duration

Specify the employee’s start and end date (if they’ve since left your company). Highlighting when an employee started working with your company can help property managers in several ways.

Let’s say an employee has a long history of working with your company. The employment verification letter might strengthen their rental application and assure the property manager they’re a reliable, good tenant. 

On the flip side, if an employee has only worked with your company for a few weeks, the letter might not give property managers the same level of faith and security in a tenant’s income stability.

Income Information

A property manager may ask you to include the employee’s current salary or hourly wage in the employment verification letter—plus other relevant income details, such as bonuses, overtime, or stocks. 

Although pay stubs and tax returns are common forms of proof of income, your letter can provide added clarity and reassurance that an individual earns a certain amount and can afford rental costs.

Optional Additional Information

Beyond the standard elements listed above, you can also include additional employee information for consideration in the tenant screening process. 

For example, the property manager may want you to provide extra information that verifies an employee’s:

• Consistent employment history
• Likelihood of continuation in the role
• Character while on the job

Each piece of information you share can impact the employee’s eligibility for tenancy, so it’s important to refrain from sharing untruthful, biased, or exaggerated information. 

Only share information that has been explicitly requested and is necessary for employment verification—ensure you respect your employee’s privacy and avoid sharing too much personal information.

Closing Statement

Lastly, conclude an employment verification letter with a brief closing statement. It should reinforce the details you’ve already shared while offering further clarification or more details upon request. 

You may also want to share your personal company email or phone number in the closing, giving property managers a direct line of contact with you should they have follow-up questions.

How to Format the Letter

Writing a great employment verification letter isn’t just about the information you include—how you format it is just as important. Poorly formatted letters may appear fraudulent, harming your employee’s chances of acceptance and putting them at risk for ID fraud accusations.

To ensure the letters you write help employees—not hurt them—make sure you:

Use a professional company letterhead when possible, with a company logo, address, and contact information.

Follow a clear, concise structure, including an opening paragraph that explains the letter’s purpose, body paragraphs with key employment details, and a closing paragraph reiterating your willingness to provide more information.

Include proper salutations and professional sign-offs, such as Sincerely or Best regards.

5 Tips for Writing an Effective Employment Verification Letter

Ready to start writing? Here are a few best practices and tips to help you pen an employment verification letter that helps your employee’s tenant application stand out—while supporting property managers in spotting tenant fraud.

When you receive an employment verification inquiry, here’s what to do next:

1. First, verify the requester’s legitimacy before proceeding. As phishing scams become more sophisticated, you must confirm you’re engaging with a real property manager before releasing an employee’s personal information.

2. Use clear, easy-to-understand language. This ensures professionalism while helping avoid misinterpretation.

3. Only provide the information requested. You may feel inclined to share additional details about your employee—like how great they are at work or remarks about their character—but refrain from sharing more than what’s requested to make sure you comply with privacy laws.

4. Cross-check all information for accuracy. Verify all details in the letter are concrete and up-to-date—especially income and employment dates.

5. Keep a copy for your records. Maintain a duplicate version of the letter so you can quickly reproduce it for the employee, property manager, or legal purposes in the future.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While writing an employment verification letter might sound like a relatively straightforward process, employers often make a few mistakes—which can lead to screening mishaps or even legal repercussions if you’re not careful.

When tasked with writing an employment verification letter, avoid:

• Including unnecessary or irrelevant information
• Providing vague or incomplete details
• Failing to verify the identity of the requester or the purpose of the request
• Using overly casual language that feels unprofessional

Stick to these tips to prevent misunderstandings and help all parties involved successfully navigate the verification process.

Sample Employment Verification Letter Template

When responding to an employment verification letter request, you must provide clear and accurate information about your employee’s work status. 

Unsure where to start? Below is a simple, customizable template—just fill in the placeholders with your company’s details and your employee’s relevant information.

[Company letterhead—including your company name, address, and contact info]

[Date]

To whom it may concern,

This letter confirms [Employee’s Full Name] is currently employed with [Your Company Name] as a [Job Title]. They’ve been with our company since [Start Date] and are responsible for [Brief Description of Job Duties]. 

[Employee Name] currently earns [Annual Salary or Hourly Wage] and is considered a [Full-time/Part-time/Contract] employee in good standing.

If you need any additional information or have further questions, please contact me at [Your Company Email] or [Your Company Phone Number].

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Job Title]

[Your Company Name]

[Your Company Email] | [Your Company Phone Number]

Legal and Privacy Considerations

Although an employment verification letter may have come at the request of an employee to fulfill their tenant screening obligations, there are still legal and privacy considerations to consider before jumping into action. 

As an employer, you’re required to abide by privacy laws to protect your business and ensure you don’t compromise your employee’s data, physical safety, or financial security. 

For example, The Privacy Act of 1974 prevents employers from sharing employees’ personal information—like their birth date, social security number, banking info, or any other potentially compromising information. 

And, depending on your state or jurisdiction, you may also need to comply with local privacy regulations before issuing an employment verification letter. 

Avoid legal risks by getting written consent from the employee before sharing any details. Without explicit consent, you should only disclose basic information—like job titles and employment dates.

Unsure which laws and regulations you must comply with? Consult with legal counsel to ensure you follow the right steps to protect your business. 

Help Your Employees Secure Housing with a Strong Verification Letter

A well-written employment verification letter can make all the difference in supporting your employee’s rental application. A sloppy letter that lacks essential details could cause suspicions of fraud—but a letter that’s clear, professional, and accurate? It can streamline the tenant screening process, instill trust among all parties, and help your employee land their ideal apartment.

By following the best practices we’ve shared—like using proper formatting, fact-checking key information, and complying with privacy regulations—you can confidently respond to employment verification requests and avoid unnecessary complications.

With a structured approach and the right tools, writing an employment verification letter doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Simply use the customizable template we shared above to put these tips into practice.