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How to draft a Relieving Letter Template? Free templates!

By in HR

What is a Relieving letter?

Before we get in into learning how to draft a relieving letter template, let us first discuss what is a relieving letter? When an employee decides to resign from an organization he or she receives what is called a relieving letter. A relieving letter is an official document issued by an organization responding to such a  resignation letter. It signifies being officially relieved from duties and responsibilities of the job or role in the organization. It is also proof that the employee is not withholding any company property or internal data. The relieving letter is issued and signed by the authorized representative, usually the HR manager, of the organization after the completion of the notice period.

Why is Relieving Letter Important?

A relieving letter is one of the most essential and authentic documents for any job applicant. It keeps track of the employee’s work history and contains relevant details such as the joining date, CTC details, last working day, etc. for future employers. In the formal sector, it is illegal for a person to hold more than one job at a time. In order to prevent such an offence, a relieving letter is issued as proof of resignation from a previous job. Job applicants are often demanded by their prospective employers to produce a relieving letter template. Failing to provide a valid relieving letter from the previous employers might get your application rejected. 

What details need to be mentioned in a relieving letter template?

Relieving letters are important documents for both the employee and the organization. it contains critical information therefore, it should be concise and accurate. The details which are mandatory to be included in the relieving letter template are as follows. 

  1. The date of the issuance of the letter should be mentioned clearly in the relieving letter template to avoid any conflicts.
  2. Full and proper personal details of the employee such as Name, Designation, Employee ID, Organization etc. should be included relieving letter template.
  3. A clear subject line stating ‘relieving letter’ should be included in the relieving letter template.
  4. The body should state the acceptance of the resignation and the final settlement along with the letter should correctly state the date of resignation and the date from which the employee is relieved from work.
  5. The employer can also mention a sentence of appreciation for the employee in the relieving letter template.
  6. Conclusion and signature of the authorities along with name and designation should also be mentioned in the relieving letter template.

How to request a relieving letter?

Once a person applies for resignation and completes his or her notice period they naturally receive the relieving letter along with the other essential documents. But what to do if the employer is not providing a relieving or experience letter? 

  1. Send the designated authority a professional email requesting to issue the same.
  2. Send reminders if there is no response.
  3. Mark cc: marking a cc to a significant someone in the organisation can fasten the process
  4. As a last resort physically visit your employer to discuss any pending formalities or duties and sort out the issues
  5. If nothing works, request your new employer to accept payslips, offer letters or bank statements as proof in place of a relieving letter. 

Some Important points to keep in mind while drafting a relieving letter template

  1. Since it is an official document, the letter should be issued on the letterhead of the organization. 
  2. Use “To Whomsoever It May Concern” to address the letter unless a name is provided by the employee. 
  3. The Relieving Letter should surely state the acceptance of the resignation.
  4. The position or role held by the employee should be clearly mentioned.
  5. The letter should be simple and professional. avoid using slang or heavy jargon. 
  6. Try evading usage of abbreviations. if necessary only use well known, common abbreviations.
  7. The tone of the letter should be formal.
  8. work done by the employee should be acknowledged.

Relieving Letter Format

Date:

To,

Employee Name

Designation

Address Line 

City, State, PIN

Subject: Relieving Letter

Dear____,

This is with reference to the resignation letter submitted by you on the date ______. We would like to inform you that our management has accepted your resignation and that you shall be relieved from your duties as __(designation)__ with __(company name)___effective from ___(date)___.

You will receive your final settlement within___(Duration)___. We highly appreciate all the contributions you have made in favour of the organization and we wish you good luck in your future endeavours.

Regards,

HR Manager (Name)

(Designation)

(Signature)

Sample Relieving Letter

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Frequently Asked Questions

No, a Resignation acceptance letter and a Relieving letter are two different letters. Both are mutually exclusive. Not all organisations issue a resignation acceptance letter. It depends on the company or country whether both are given to the employee or only a combined letter stating ‘accepted and relieved’ will suffice for the purpose of relieving from duty. 
The organisation may send you a resignation acceptance letter but it does not mean you have been relieved of your duties. A resignation acceptance letter is a response to a resignation letter by an employee.  It often contains the duration of the notice period through statements like ‘your resignation has been accepted and you have to serve the notice period from…..date to….date.’
 It is after the completion of the notice period that the employee receives a relieving letter. An essential statement in this letter is ‘relieved of his/her duties on…. date’ signifying complete severance from the previous organisation effective from the mentioned date.