UK HR letters, 44 templates
Every letter an employer of hourly and shift staff ends up writing, from the offer to the reference. Each one comes with what has to be true before it goes, the law it rests on, the mistakes that turn it into a claim, and the questions people ask. Copy it, fill in the brackets, send it.
Guidance, not legal advice. The 49 UK policies these letters sit on are also here, as are the Word downloads and the free calculators.
Hiring and probation 9
Offer, start, right to work, and the three ways a probation period ends.
- Offer of employmentA conditional offer that names the job, the pay, the start date and the conditions it depends on.
- Confirmation of start date and first dayConditions met, start date fixed, here is where to be, when, and what to bring.
- Right to work: request for documentsAsks a successful candidate for the evidence you must see, and explains the check, before they start.
- Right to work: follow-up check reminderTells an employee with time-limited permission that a repeat check is due, and what you need from them.
- Reference request to a previous employerAsks a former employer for a factual reference, with the candidate's consent stated.
- Conditional offer withdrawnWithdraws an offer because a stated condition was not met, and says which one.
- Probation passed: confirmation of employmentConfirms the probationary period is complete and the full terms now apply.
- Probation extensionExtends the probationary period, says why, and sets out exactly what has to improve and by when.
- Probation not passed: termination of employmentEnds the employment at the end of probation with notice, stating the reason and any right of appeal.
Conduct and discipline 10
Every letter in the Acas Code sequence, from the first quiet word to the appeal outcome.
- Informal concern: lateness or attendanceRecords a quiet word about timekeeping or attendance before anything formal starts.
- Unauthorised absence: request to make contactAn employee has not turned up and has not been in touch. This asks them to contact you before the matter is treated as a conduct issue.
- Invitation to an investigation meetingAsks the employee to attend a fact-finding meeting about an allegation, making clear it is not a hearing.
- Suspension pending investigationSuspends on full pay while an allegation is investigated, and says it is not a punishment.
- Invitation to a disciplinary hearingSets out the allegations, encloses the evidence, warns of the possible outcome and confirms the right to be accompanied.
- First written warningConfirms the outcome of a disciplinary hearing as a first written warning, its duration and what happens if it recurs.
- Final written warningThe last warning before dismissal: what was found, how long it lasts, and that further misconduct may end the employment.
- Dismissal for misconduct, with noticeEnds the employment following a disciplinary hearing where a live final warning has been followed by further misconduct.
- Summary dismissal for gross misconductDismisses without notice for a single act of gross misconduct found at a disciplinary hearing.
- Disciplinary appeal outcomeConfirms the result of an appeal hearing: upheld, sanction reduced, or dismissed, with reasons.
Grievances 3
Acknowledge, hear, decide, in writing, on time.
- Grievance acknowledgement and invitation to meetingConfirms a formal grievance has been received and invites the employee to a meeting to discuss it.
- Grievance outcomeSets out the decision on each point of the grievance, what will be done about it, and the right of appeal.
- Grievance appeal outcomeConfirms the decision on a grievance appeal and closes the internal process.
Sickness and absence 5
Short-term patterns, long-term absence, returns, and the capability route.
- Sickness absence review meeting invitationInvites an employee with a pattern of short-term absence to a formal review, and says what the meeting is for.
- Occupational health referralExplains to the employee why you are referring them to occupational health, what you will ask, and asks for their consent.
- Long-term absence: capability meeting invitationInvites an employee on long-term sick leave to a meeting to discuss the medical advice and the options, including the possibility of dismissal on grounds of ill-health capability.
- Dismissal on grounds of ill-health capabilityEnds the employment because a return to work is not foreseeable, after consultation, medical advice and consideration of alternatives.
- Return to work after long-term absence: phased return planConfirms the return date, the phased hours, the adjustments and the review dates agreed for someone coming back after a long absence.
Leave and flexible working 6
Maternity, paternity, holiday and the statutory flexible working process.
- Maternity leave confirmationThe employer's legally required reply to a maternity leave notification: confirms the start date and the date leave will end.
- Paternity leave confirmationConfirms the dates of statutory paternity leave, in one or two blocks, and the pay.
- Flexible working request: acceptedConfirms a statutory flexible working request has been agreed, and records the permanent change to terms.
- Flexible working request: refusedRefuses a statutory flexible working request on one or more of the eight permitted grounds, after consultation, with reasons and the right of appeal.
- Holiday request refusedRefuses a holiday request for business reasons, with the counter-notice the regulations require, and offers alternatives.
- Requiring holiday to be taken (shutdown or use-it-or-lose-it)Gives the statutory notice that employees must take holiday on specified dates, or use remaining entitlement before the year ends.
Redundancy and change 6
At risk, consultation, notice, lay-off, changing terms, TUPE.
- Redundancy: at risk letterTells an employee their role is at risk of redundancy, why, and how the consultation will run.
- Redundancy: invitation to consultation meetingInvites an at-risk employee to an individual consultation meeting, with the agenda and the documents.
- Notice of redundancyConfirms, after consultation, that the role is redundant, gives notice, and sets out the payments and the right of appeal.
- Lay-off or short-time working noticeTells employees that there is temporarily no work, or reduced work, and what they will be paid, under a contractual lay-off clause.
- Proposed change to terms and conditionsProposes a change to contractual terms, explains why, invites discussion, and seeks written agreement.
- TUPE: information letter to transferring employeesTells employees that a TUPE transfer is happening, when, why, what it means for them, and what measures are envisaged.
Leaving 5
Resignations, fixed-term endings, references, pay and role changes.
- Resignation acknowledgementAccepts a resignation, confirms the last day, and sets out notice, holiday, handover, property and final pay.
- Fixed-term contract ending: notice of non-renewalTells a fixed-term employee that their contract will end on its expiry date and will not be renewed, with the reason and any redundancy entitlement.
- Factual employment referenceA short, accurate reference confirming dates, role and reason for leaving, with a standard disclaimer.
- Pay review: confirmation of change to particularsConfirms a pay increase (or other agreed change to terms) in writing, as the law requires within one month.
- Promotion or change of roleConfirms a promotion or move to a new role, the new terms, any trial period, and the reporting line.
Letters with the names already in
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