HR Executive Signing Experience Letters: Is It Okay for an HR Manager's Document?

I want to know, can an HR Executive sign the experience letter of an HR Manager?

Thanks & Regards,
Manoj Sisodia

I do not see any issue. However, as per protocol, usually a senior or equal position manager signs the letter of a separating employee.

While factually Balaji S. is right, you could face situations where you may be asked to explain to your seniors after this HR manager has left—unless you have the necessary clearances to sign. But why is it that you are needed to sign the exit letter? Is the exit of the HR Manager not smooth? If it is smooth, then a senior official would not hesitate to sign. If the exit is rough, then there's all the more reason why you should be extra cautious.

Regards,
TS

Thanks to all. As part of the protocol, is there any legal problem that an HR Executive cannot sign the experience letter of his past manager, where currently no HR manager is working?

Actually, I worked with a company as an HR manager, and due to a change in management, I left the company and joined a new company of the existing Managing Director. That's why the new senior management of the previous company was not happy with me. After that, I want to pursue an MBA (distance) and submitted my experience letters from all my past companies there. Now, the university employee says to me that one of my experience letters is not right because it was signed by an HR Executive, not a senior officer.

But in my opinion, that letter is legal; an HR Executive can sign it.

Am I right or wrong? I want to know that.

Dear Manoj,
Please obtain an authorization file note duly signed by one of your directors or GM, stating that you are the authorized person for all correspondences and certificates issued to the staff members related to HR/Admin issues. Keep the same for your safety. Then prepare the required certificate and, in the last paragraph, add one more line stating that the undersigned is authorized to sign this certificate vide letter No./File Note No. ________ dated ________.

This will ensure that no one will have any queries or doubts about the authenticity of the certificate or correspondence made by you. Furthermore, you can create an application format so that anyone requiring a certificate can submit it through their section/lead manager. You can then obtain individual approval from any available director in each and every application before issuing the certificate.

Query on HR Executive Signing Authority

Manoj's query is simple. He wants to know whether it's legally okay for an HR executive to sign letters. He is not referring to his own authority to sign but rather his experience letter, which has been signed by an HR executive.

As long as there is proper authorization in the company's signatory matrix, an HR executive is also authorized to sign. I think the university is asking because, according to them, unless there is something fishy in the exit, a junior person would not usually sign. In that case, I believe you need to convince the university that the letter is authentic, and there is no other HR person in the organization.

Regards

I feel any authorization in respect of a senior by his/her junior will always be looked at with suspicion. Generally, HR Officers/HR Executives are authorized to sign relieving letters and service certificates in respect of junior employees like assistants, executives, officers, etc. They are not authorized to sign letters in respect of Managers or employees above a certain level.

It is improper for a junior to sign a letter in respect of a senior. In this case, the letter should be signed by the person to whom the HR manager was reporting.