Appointment Letters in IT Firms: Is a Hard Copy with Employee Signatures Necessary?

Dear All, This is Mary from Chennai. I work as an HR in an IT Start Firm. We have a practice of sending an appointment letter through email to our employees, digitally signed by the Managing Director. However, we do not have a copy with the employee acceptance signatures. I would like to know whether we should have a hard copy of the letter signed by the employee or if this is fine. My concern is that after a few days, they might claim they have not received it or that it was not accepted by them when they go against the protocols. Seeking your advice.

Thanks & Regards, Mary

It is always good if you get the appointment order signed both by the employer (as an offer for employment) and the employee (as acceptance of the offer), thus making it a contract of employment. There are a few court verdicts which say that email acceptance is sufficient to make a contract enforceable, but it is always better if it is in writing. This is because it may be challenged that the employee's email was hacked and acceptance was sent by someone else.

In the case of an employment contract, the employee should come in person to complete the joining formalities and undergo an induction as part of employment. At that time, you can do it along with getting the other forms like joining reports, PF nominations, and declarations, etc.