Worried About Background Checks? Do You Really Need an Experience Letter for Verification?

I have a total of 5.3 years of experience in an IT firm, working in India. I have 3.5 years of experience in one company and almost 2 years of experience in the current company. I have received offers from a reputed MNC, and I am planning to resign.

However, I was just checking for my previous documents and I realized I do not have the experience letter from my previous organization. I have other supporting documents like Form 16, payslip, offer letter, and relieving letter that only mention the last day at the company.

Question 1: Is it mandatory to provide an experience letter for background verification?

Question 2: Since I don't have an experience letter, can I just submit a relieving letter that mentions my Employee ID and date of exit?

In my opinion:

1. No, it is not mandatory to provide an experience letter for background verification.
2. Yes, submitting relevant documents to show your work duration will suffice.

Regards,
Mayank Lad

Dear Ranjitha,

Replies to your questions are as below:

Question 1: Is it mandatory to provide an experience letter for background verification?

Reply: This reply is for general information only. It does not address your query directly. Background verification typically relies on the experience letter or any other relevant documentation. The absence of an experience certificate could raise concerns about potential employment issues. Companies often request experience certificates to authenticate past employment, preventing fraudulent claims.

Question 2: Since I don't have an experience letter, can I submit a relieving letter that mentions my EID and date of exit?

Reply: The distinction between a "Relieving Letter" and an "Experience Letter" is unclear. The company-issued letter should include Employee No, Date of Joining, Date of Exit, and Designations held during employment. Some companies also confirm the clearance of dues upon the employee's departure. Review your documentation, and if any details are missing, contact your former employer to rectify the omissions.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Documents Required for Background Verification (BGV)

The recruiter may ask for several documents, including an experience letter. However, more important documents for BGV are the appointment letter, relieving letter, and Form 16 from your last worked companies (it could be two or three or all, depending on the organization's norms). It is observed that a few firms issue one letter for both experience and relieving, and they call it a relieving letter.

You have clearly stated in your application that some documents from your first service are lost, but you have a relieving letter that includes your EID and date of exit. It would be best to leave this matter to the consideration of your new employer. If they decide to reach out to you, it would be beneficial. By doing so, your new employer would not have the opportunity to question the proof of your past service.

Whether it's mandatory to provide an experience letter for background verification can vary depending on the company and their specific policies. It's best to check with the HR department of the new company or the agency handling the background verification to understand their requirements.

If you don't have an experience letter, submitting the relieving letter that mentions your Employee ID and date of exit could be a good alternative. However, it's advisable to communicate this to the new company or the agency handling the verification process and seek their guidance on the matter.