Understanding Offer and Appointment Letters: What's the Right Process for New Hires?

Can you please let me know what the validity of the offer letter is? Can we give the offer letter to a new employee when they join, and after completing their probation, give them an appointment letter? Is this the right process? If not, please guide on the correct method and how to proceed with it.

Thank you.

The validity of the offer is determined by what you assign to it, but it should not exceed 14 days. In other words, the candidate has 14 days to decide whether or not they will accept the offer. Once you provide the offer letter, the employee can join the firm after accepting it, and the pre-employment process is then completed.

Pre-Employment Process

The pre-employment process includes medical checks, security clearances, and verification of previous employment.

Post-Offer Process

After the candidate signs the contract of employment, you issue an appointment letter. Following the probation period, you give the employee a confirmation letter, contingent upon an evaluation report known as the probation report. Typically, the probation period lasts for 3 months, but it can be extended to a maximum of 6 months, i.e., between 3 to 6 months only.

If you need any further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Regards

Dear Anayaat, very useful information you have given there. I have one more question in this regard: if a candidate accepts the offer letter/appointment letter, can the company ask for the candidate's resignation within 3 months? What is the rule regarding termination after the acceptance letter—can the company not terminate any employee within 1-3 months? Is there a specific duration for this?

Regards,
Shilpi
HR Executive
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

The validity of the offer is determined by what you give to it, but it should not exceed 14 days, i.e., the candidate has 14 days to decide whether or not they are going to accept the offer. Once you provide the offer letter, the employee joins the firm after acceptance, and the pre-employment process is completed. The pre-employment process includes medical checks, security clearances, and verification of previous employment.

After the contract of employment is signed, you provide the appointment letter.

Regards

An offer letter should be issued before the employee joins the company. It is important to provide the appointment letter to the employee immediately upon joining, specifying the probation period as determined by the employer.

Regards,
Nilesh

Dear Amit, an offer letter is just that—an offer made to the candidate regarding joining XYZ company. The candidate can take some time to decide and communicate to the HR Department the dates of their joining. It's up to the candidate to decide whether they want to join the company or not.

Appointment Letter

An appointment letter is given to the candidate once they join the company. Some companies provide it on the first day of joining, while others may give it within 1-2 weeks. Each company has its own policy regarding this.

Termination and Probation Period

A company can terminate an employee if their work is unsatisfactory, based on feedback from their immediate supervisor, before confirming their employment. The probation period varies from company to company, typically lasting 3-6 months.

I hope this clarifies things for you.

Regards,
Derek