Appointment Letters: When and How Should They Be Issued for New Employees?

Guidance on Appointment Letters

Please guide me through the scenario of appointment letters. When should the letter be issued, and what terms should be mentioned in it? Also, please clarify whether it should be issued after the probation period or at the time of joining.

Thank you.

Appointment letters should be issued at the time of joining. After confirmation, you shall issue Appointment Confirmation Letters. It should contain all the policies of the organization like the Leave Policy, Management Policy, Terms & Conditions, Relieving & Termination Policy, and Wages Break-up. Terms & Conditions relate to the confidential agreement, etc. 

An appointment letter is the confirmation from the employer to the employee that he/she has been selected for a particular position. The issuance of the appointment letter depends on the company's practices; some companies issue it at the time of joining or during the onboarding process, while others wait until the completion of the probation period. It should include Standard Operating Procedures, Compensation & Benefits, Leave details, Separation formalities, and Probation details.

Regards

Thank you so much for the valuable feedback; it is much appreciated. However, I would like to receive more details. For instance, when the candidate is selected, I issue them an offer letter. At the time of joining, when the documents are submitted, I ask them to sign the offer letter. Is this the right way, or should I provide it after the probation period?

Thank you.

Issuance of Appointment Letters

Appointment letters should be given at the time of joining. Before joining, an offer letter shall be provided.

I fully agree with Jeevarathnam. An offer letter has to be given while offering a job, an appointment letter has to be given at the time of joining the company, and a confirmation letter upon successful completion of the probation.

Regards,
Saji

Guidance on Appointment Letters

Tully said by Jeevarathnam P, please note, after the selection of a candidate, HR will mail or post an Offer letter, indicating his selection for the post, the time period to join, the finalized package, and the place to report.

After joining, preferably on the very first day, issue an appointment letter, get one copy signed as received, and file it in his personal file. In the appointment letter, mention the probation period and include the clause that "after successful completion of the probation period, your service will be confirmed."

The following are the general points to be covered in the Appointment letter:

1. Name, Address, and contact details of the candidate
2. Post Offered, Pay package, perks
3. Place of work
4. Terms and conditions and rules to be followed during employment
5. Notice period required
6. Signature of the competent authority to issue the appointment letter
7. Signature of the new joiner as acceptance

Issue a Confirmation letter on completion of the probation period after reviewing his performance and noting his superior's feedback. If the performance is not satisfactory, then two options may be considered:

1. Extension of the probation period further for the said/mentioned period,
2. Service termination letter mentioning his unsuitability for the post or non-performance, as the case may be.

I hope this helps.

Thanks,

Regards,
Dilip Bhandari
HR Manager

Sample of a Detailed Appointment Letter

I am looking for a sample of a detailed appointment letter that includes the company's terms and conditions, as well as the benefits offered.

Thank you.