Structure of the offer letter
- Position, grade, department, reporting manager and work location
- Date of joining and validity of the offer
- Annual compensation summary with a reference to the detailed annexure
- Conditions precedent — background verification, document submission, medical if applicable
- Statement that the appointment letter will govern the employment
Clauses the appointment letter should carry
- Compensation annexure with fixed, variable and statutory components
- Probation period, confirmation criteria and extension rights
- Working hours, shift applicability and attendance expectations
- Leave entitlement, referencing the leave policy rather than repeating it
- Confidentiality and intellectual-property assignment
- Notice period on either side, and buy-out treatment if allowed
- Applicability of company policies as amended from time to time
- Jurisdiction and dispute-resolution clause
Common mistakes
- Promising a bonus without linking it to a policy or performance condition
- Silent on shift or location change, then transferring the employee
- Copying CTC numbers into the letter that payroll cannot reproduce
- No acknowledgement copy collected and filed
This resource is shared for general guidance. Rules, rates and due dates change and vary by state and establishment — confirm the current position with your advisor before acting on it.
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