What is a relieving letter?
An employee must first file a letter of resignation with notice to the human resources department in order to leave a company. Once the notice period expires and they are ready to depart, the HR department issues a relieving letter stating that the employee is dismissed from their job in the organisation. The letter thus implies that the employee will no longer be responsible for any obligations to the company. Employers frequently do background checks based on the relieving letters when an applicant wants to join a new organisation and must submit the letter when applying. Therefore, the letter must include all the relevant information about the employee’s role in the company. Additionally, the letter further specifies details of settlements.
Relieving letter format
The relieving letter should include relevant details about the employee in a specified order. A relieving letter’s methodical drafting makes it easier for the reader to rapidly get all the relevant details. What follows is a list of elements that should be in a letter of relief.
Date of issue
The date of issue should be the first element on a letter of relief. To avoid misunderstandings in the future, the letter must accurately state the date of off-boarding. Additionally, the mentioned date makes it evident that the employee will no longer be considered an official associate of the company after the given date.
Employee name and designation
All the employee’s relevant information should be included in the letter after the date. The letter should consist of the employee’s full name, position within the organisation, employee ID, etc. Furthermore, if necessary, the employee’s address can also be added to the letter.
Subject and salutation
The letter should have Relieving Letter or Relieving Order as its subject. Additionally, if the employee does not specifically request an alternative salutation, the greeting typically should read, “To Whomsoever It May Concern.”
Resignation details
The employee’s resignation letter should always be cited in the letter of relief. The employee’s hire date and length of service with the company should also be included in this section. Following this, the employee’s resignation letter must be acknowledged on the letter as having been accepted. Furthermore, this part should also provide the deadline for obtaining the final settlement.
Statement of appreciation
A relieving letter should conclude with a salutation. The company should acknowledge the employee’s contributions made while they were working for them and wish them well in their future endeavours.
Signature
This is the conclusive section of the letter of relief. Once everything is in order, the management writing the letter should sign it and include all relevant information, including their complete name, title, and date.
Importance of a relieving letter
There are several explanations for why a relieving letter is essential. Essentially, you will need to create a relieving letter format for employees of your organisation for the following significant reasons:
Cleared dues
It signifies that the final settlement is already made or will be made by the mentioned date in the letter. It denotes that the corporation has paid the employee in full and that the employee will no longer be able to bring a lawsuit against the company in the future over settlements.
Lawful dispersal
The reference to the employee’s letter of resignation remarks that they were released from the responsibilities of their own volition. Thus, it demonstrates that the employee was not forcibly or unlawfully terminated by the business. As a result, it safeguards the company from wrongful termination claims brought by an employee.
Free from liability
When an employee is formally released from their duties, the organisation is no longer liable for the employee’s behaviour. It implies that because the company has severed all professional duties with the relieved employee, it is not the company’s obligation if the employee contacts someone on its behalf.
Tips for drafting a relieving letter
The purpose of the relieving letter is clearly illustrated by the fact that it serves as a formal means of communication between the employer and the departing employee. Given that potential employers might need this letter from the employee, the letter should display professionalism in order to promote your business well. Here are a few things to consider while writing a letter of relief:
- A relieving letter is not considered official without the firm letterhead at the top. So whenever you write a relieving letter, make sure to always use the company letterhead. It gives the letter the required authority and holds the issuing organisation responsible.
- To make the letter adaptable, it should always be addressed “To Whomsoever It May Concern.” You should address a specific entity only if the employee demands so.
- The issuance date, the employee’s hire date, and the date the relieving order will take effect must all be precisely mentioned.
- The letter should mention the employee’s tenure and role within the company. Additionally, if the individual has held multiple positions, you should list each one in the description.
- A straightforward, professional tone and language should be used in a letter of relief. Furthermore, using cursive typefaces will make it harder for everyone to read the letter, therefore refrain from using them. The formatting thus needs to be neat and precise. Additionally, you should proofread the letter for spelling and grammatical errors.
Relieving letter samples
It can be beneficial to possess all the material you require to create a relieving letter from scratch, but the process can be simplified by using a customisable sample letter. Here are a few templates of relieving letters that you can use and modify as per your needs.
Relieving letter sample – 1
Date: ………………………..
To,
[Employee Name]
[Designation]
Subject: Relieving Letter
Dear [Employee Name],
This relates to your resignation from your role as ___, effective as of ___, in accordance with the resignation letter submitted to you in order to be released from your obligations as of___. We are writing to let you know that your request to resign has been approved, and you will be released from your responsibilities to the company after giving your one-month notice period, effective as of the office’s closing on ___. We further attest to the fact that the organisation has cleared your complete and final settlement.
Additionally, we will always be grateful for the contributions that you have made to the company. The entire organisation sends you its warmest wishes for your upcoming endeavours.
[Organisation Name]
…………………………….
Yours Sincerely,
Name, Date, and Signature
Relieving letter sample – 2
Date………………………
To,
[Employee Name]
[Designation]
To Whomsoever It May Concern
This is to confirm receipt of your resignation letter dated ___. We thus confirm that your resignation will take effect at the conclusion of business on___. We appreciate your close cooperation during the course of your employment from__ to___.
Additionally, we also want to wish you good luck for your future profession.
[Organisation Name]
………………………………….
Yours Sincerely,
Name, Date, and Signature
Relieving letter sample – 3
To Whomsoever It May Concern
Date……………………..
To,
[Employee Name]
[Designation]
[Address]
Subject: Relieving from your employment
Dear [Employee Name],
You spent the aforementioned months/years working at [Organisation Name] between___and___.
In accordance with your letter of resignation from the company, the employment contract has been cancelled from___.
We want to remind you that some of your obligations under your employment agreement will endure even after your employment with the company ends. The following responsibilities are among them:
- All the work you produced while working for this company is its sole and exclusive property. The corporation shall own all copyrights and other property interests therein.
- You are not permitted to reveal any private data to a third party.
Your settlement has been cleared in full and final as of ___, and we thereby confirm that you have finished all necessary paperwork and returned the company’s belongings.
We hope you have success in the future.
[Organisation Name]
……………………………………
Name, Date, and Signature
In response to an employee’s request to exit the company, an employer is responsible for writing a formal relieving letter that includes all the necessary details, such as the employee’s title and length of service. Thus, it is essential to comprehend the meaning relieving letter and how to correctly draft one in order to allow for the lawful termination of personnel following their resignation. The detailed elements and letter samples provided can act as a navigating tool when writing a relieving letter for an employee.
The model shown is for illustration purposes only, and may require additional formatting to meet accepted standards.
