Guidance on creating offer letters

Julie Alexander Updated by Julie Alexander

We know that offer letters can be a bit confusing so to make it easier for you, here are some tips!

The law requires employers to give written notice of wage rates to each new hire. Their letters should include the following:

  • The employer's legal name and any other names used for business (DBA), address and phone number of the employee's main office or primary location.
  • The candidate’s full legal name and preferred name (if different), physical address, and email address (if processed electronically).
  • Job title, start date, expected schedule, employment status (i.e. full time/part time, exempt/non-exempt), title, and who the position reports to.
  • A detailed explanation of compensation, including how the employee is paid (by the hour, shift, day, week, commission), the salary amount or hourly rate, including overtime rate of pay (for non-exempt employees).
  • Regular pay day.
  • If you’ll be offering a benefit package, include a summary of the benefits and eligibility requirements.
  • An official signature should be included from either the company executive or the hiring manager (this can be left blank for digital signature when processing electronically).
  • Space for employee signature.
  • A statement of the employment relationship should be included such if the position is "at-will" or for an agreed upon period.
  • Full job description in the body of the offer letter or as a separate attachment.

Nitty gritty details about compensation and perks, like bonus structure, the amount of paid time off, and health insurance details should go into the employee handbook.

ArtsPool has an offer letter template that you can utilize and tweak to your needs. If you prefer, you can use the NY Department of Labor's sample notice. The employer may provide its own notice, as long as it includes all of the required information, or use the Department's sample notices. If the employer has questions regarding minimum requirements for onboarding agreements, they can visit: NY Section 195, or NY Notice of Pay Rate.

It is always a good idea to check with your labor lawyer for the language. ArtsPool can recommend a lawyer if you need recommendation.

How did we do?

Submitting a new hire task in the ArtsPool app

Employee benefits data management

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