Offer Letter Template

A free offer letter template for US small businesses, in Word and PDF. Use it to put a job offer in writing: the role, start date, pay, schedule, conditions and at-will wording, with a line for the candidate to sign and accept. It’s short and friendly, and careful about the few phrases that cause trouble later.

What you get

• Word file: the letter ready to edit, with every detail to change highlighted as a [placeholder], plus notes on the last page.
• PDF, 3 pages: the blank letter, the same letter filled in for a fictional restaurant hiring a line cook, and a page of notes with sources.

What a good job offer letter includes

• The basics. Job title, start date and who the person reports to.
• Pay, written as a rate. “$24.00 an hour, paid every two weeks” or “$60,000 a year, paid twice a month”. Avoid “$60,000 for the first year”, which can read as a guarantee.
• Overtime status. Say whether the role is exempt or non-exempt. Exempt status depends on the job duties and a minimum salary, and some states set a higher bar than federal law.
• Schedule and location. Full-time or part-time, usual days and hours, and where the work happens.
• A benefits summary. One line; the details belong in your handbook.
• Conditions. Any reference, background or license check the offer depends on.
• At-will wording. Where it applies, a plain statement that either side can end the employment.
• A deadline. When you need an answer, and who to call with questions.

How to write a job offer letter

1. Make the verbal offer first, then follow up in writing the same day.
2. Fill in the template, then check the pay against your state and city minimum wage and the range you advertised.
3. Confirm the overtime status before you send. Getting it wrong is one of the most common, and expensive, small-business pay mistakes.
4. Remove anything you can’t promise: a bonus that isn’t decided, or a raise “after six months”.
5. Send it with a deadline and ask for a signed copy back.
6. Once they accept, start your new hire checklist: Form I-9, Form W-4, new-hire reporting and the first-day plan.

Completed example

The example in the download is an offer from a fictional restaurant to a line cook. It covers a Tuesday start, an hourly rate paid every two weeks, non-exempt overtime status, health insurance after 60 days, and a reference-check condition. The candidate has signed to accept.

Simple offer letter vs. a formal employment contract

Most small businesses only need a simple offer letter. It confirms the key terms, keeps employment at will, and points to the handbook for everything else. A formal employment contract fixes a term or limits how employment can end, and is more common for senior hires. If you’re thinking about one, or about non-compete or non-solicitation terms (now restricted in several states), talk to an employment lawyer first.

Hourly or salaried: writing the pay line

For an hourly, non-exempt employee, give the hourly rate and the pay schedule, and say they’ll be paid overtime as the law requires. Federal law requires overtime after 40 hours in a workweek, and a few states add daily overtime. California is one example.

For a salaried employee, give the annual salary and the pay schedule. Don’t assume a salary makes someone exempt. To be exempt from overtime, a role usually has to meet both a duties test and a minimum salary, and several states set that minimum higher than federal law. A salaried role can still be non-exempt and earn overtime. If you’re unsure, decide before you send the letter, because the offer sets the expectation.

Offer letter, offer email or phone call?

Make the first offer by phone; it’s warmer, and you’ll hear their questions straight away. Then send the written letter the same day so the details are clear and on record. An email with the letter attached as a PDF is fine. What matters is that the candidate has the terms in writing and signs to accept before their first day.

Words to avoid in an offer letter

• “Permanent position” or “long-term role”: these can be read as a promise of job security.
• A guaranteed annual amount: give the rate and the pay schedule instead.
• Personal remarks: say nothing about age, family plans, health, religion or other protected traits.

Hiring your first employee and not sure about overtime, state forms or posters? hrsupport.io answers HR questions for your state, with the law behind every answer.