Is It Okay to Issue an Appointment Letter Before the Employee's Start Date?

Hello,

As far as I know, typically we offer a letter to the selected employee first, and then once they have joined, we generate an appointment letter. My question is, can we provide the appointment letter before the employee's actual start date? For instance, if it's April and the employee is set to join on May 15th, would it be appropriate to issue the appointment letter directly beforehand?

It is always safe to first issue the offer letter to the candidate and issue the appointment order on joining. This is something like a letter of intent before the firm's purchase/work order is placed in business. However, there is no harm in giving the appointment order and advising the candidate to join on a specific date. It should be clearly mentioned that if the candidate fails to join on the specific date, the appointment order will automatically stand withdrawn and canceled.

Rameshbg, Hosur

I would suggest not giving the appointment letter before joining. Why do you need to do that? If the selected candidate is asking for it, giving some reason, most chances are that he/she will use it as a tool in other interviews and might never turn up if they get a better offer. This is a common scenario happening across all domains, so whatever reason is given by the candidate, do not get carried away. Let them join and complete all the formalities, and then after 10-15 days, issue the appointment letter.

Regards

In public appointments (Government service), the appointment letter is issued in advance.

Appointment Order with all Terms & Conditions of appointment, details of compensation package, etc., will typically span 4-5 pages and are usually signed by the Authorized Signatory.

In some cases, a candidate, after reviewing all Terms & Conditions, salary details, etc., changes their mind and decides not to join. This results in all efforts being wasted since the company's Terms & Conditions and salary details have already been disclosed, and the intended purpose remains unfulfilled.

It is safer to issue the Offer Letter after the selection process. Following the candidate's acceptance and joining the company, the Appointment Order can then be issued.

Email: c.neyimkhan@gmail.com
Date: 24.4.16

Yes, you can issue an appointment letter stating that the appointment will be effective from the date of joining.

Issuing Appointment Letters: Best Practices

An appointment letter should always be issued upon joining as a management practice. There is a reason for this. When a candidate is selected, you issue an offer letter, allowing them time to return to their current company and submit a resignation letter. They are expected to provide a relieving letter and an experience certificate from their current employer, which cannot be ignored.

Sometimes, candidates do not show up because they are negotiating their remuneration or their family members do not agree to relocate. Therefore, it is logically and strategically advisable to hold off on issuing the appointment letter until the candidate joins your organization.

There are instances when a candidate is unwilling to join for minor reasons, such as the lack of a pick-up facility, a larger house in the colony, a car facility, or a very nominal increase in salary. If you have already issued the appointment letter, you may not be inclined to accommodate these minor requests, which could help you manage better. After all, recruitment is a time and cost-based exercise.

Regards,
RDS Yadav
Director - Future Institute of Management and Technology
Labour Law Adviser
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