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I.
Free template · three formats

Offer letter template.

Three free offer letter templates for US hires — a basic at-will offer, a fuller salaried offer with benefits detail, and an independent contractor engagement letter. Copy directly into Word, PDF, or Google Docs. No email required, no signup.

What's on this page

  1. Three offer letter templates — at-will, salaried with benefits, contractor.
  2. What needs to be in every offer letter — the six non-negotiable elements.
  3. Common mistakes — vague comp language, missing contingencies, the at-will trap.
  4. Frequently asked questions — rescission, e-signatures, multi-state hires.
  5. Deeper templates for paid use — standard and executive offer letters with full legal scaffolding.
II.
II.The templates

Three offer letter templates. Copy directly.

Each offer letter template below is shown in full. Copy the text, replace the bracketed fields, and you have a professional offer ready to send.

Template 01 / 03

1. At-will offer letter (basic)

When to use it: The standard format for most US hires below executive level. Short, professional, includes all the legally important elements without being heavy.

[Company letterhead] [Date] [Candidate name] [Candidate address] Dear [First name], We are pleased to offer you the position of [Job title] at [Company name], reporting to [Manager name and title]. Below are the key terms of your employment. POSITION AND START DATE Your start date will be [Start date], or another mutually agreed date. COMPENSATION Your base salary will be [Amount] per year, paid [bi-weekly / monthly] in accordance with the company's standard payroll schedule. You will be eligible for [bonus structure / no bonus] subject to the terms of [the applicable plan]. BENEFITS You will be eligible for the company's standard benefits package, including [health insurance / 401(k) / paid time off / other], subject to the terms of each plan. Details will be provided separately. AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT Your employment with [Company name] is "at will," meaning either you or the company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause and with or without notice. CONTINGENCIES This offer is contingent on (1) satisfactory completion of background and reference checks, (2) verification of your eligibility to work in the United States (Form I-9), and (3) your signing of the company's standard Confidentiality and IP Assignment Agreement. ACCEPTANCE Please confirm your acceptance by signing below and returning this letter by [Date — typically 5–10 business days]. We're excited about the prospect of you joining the team. Sincerely, [Signatory name] [Signatory title] ────────────────────────────────────────── ACCEPTED: ____________________________ Date: __________ [Candidate name]
Template 02 / 03

2. Salaried offer letter (with benefits detail)

When to use it: When the offer needs to spell out benefits explicitly — typically because the role is senior, the comp package is non-standard, or the candidate is comparing offers and you want to put the value of the package on paper.

[Company letterhead] [Date] [Candidate name] [Candidate address] Dear [First name], It is with great enthusiasm that we extend this offer of employment for the position of [Job title], reporting to [Manager name and title]. The terms below have been approved by [Approval authority — VP/CFO/etc.] and reflect the full compensation package. 1. POSITION AND START DATE Title: [Job title] Department: [Department] Manager: [Manager name] Start date: [Start date], subject to mutual agreement Location: [Office address / Remote / Hybrid — specify] 2. COMPENSATION Base salary: $[Amount] per year, paid [bi-weekly / semi-monthly] Sign-on bonus: $[Amount], paid in the first pay period, subject to a 12-month clawback if you leave voluntarily Annual bonus target: [Percentage]% of base, subject to company and individual performance 3. EQUITY (if applicable) Grant: [Number] [Restricted Stock Units / Stock Options], subject to board approval Vesting: [4-year vest with 1-year cliff / Other schedule] Strike price: [If options, the FMV at grant date] Acceleration: [If any — typically double-trigger] 4. BENEFITS Health: [Plan name], company pays [percentage]% Dental + Vision: Included Retirement: 401(k) with [match terms] Paid time off: [Number] days plus [Number] sick days Parental leave: [Number] weeks paid for primary caregiver, [Number] for secondary Other: [Stipends, perks, professional development, etc.] 5. AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT Your employment is at-will. Either party may terminate the relationship at any time, with or without cause. 6. CONTINGENCIES This offer is contingent on (a) background and reference checks, (b) Form I-9 verification, (c) execution of the company's Confidentiality and IP Assignment Agreement, and (d) board approval of the equity grant where applicable. 7. ACCEPTANCE Please return this signed letter by [Date]. If you have questions, [Recruiter name] is available at [contact]. We look forward to having you on the team. Sincerely, [Signatory name] [Signatory title] ────────────────────────────────────────── ACCEPTED: ____________________________ Date: __________ [Candidate name]
Template 03 / 03

3. Independent contractor engagement

When to use it: For 1099 contractor engagements in the US — not employment, no benefits, no withholding. The language is materially different from employment offers because the legal relationship is different.

[Company letterhead] [Date] [Contractor name / Entity name] [Address] Dear [First name], This letter confirms our agreement for you to provide services to [Company name] as an independent contractor. The terms of the engagement are as follows. 1. SERVICES You will provide the following services: [Description of services / Scope of work / Reference attached Statement of Work]. 2. TERM The engagement begins on [Start date] and continues until [End date / Completion of deliverables / Either party terminates with [N] days written notice]. 3. COMPENSATION Fee: $[Amount] per [hour / week / project], invoiced [monthly / on completion]. Payment net 30 days from receipt of invoice. 4. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR STATUS You are an independent contractor, not an employee. This means: (a) You control how, when, and where the services are performed (b) You are not eligible for any [Company name] employee benefits (c) You are responsible for your own taxes, including self-employment tax (d) You will provide your own equipment unless otherwise agreed (e) You may engage with other clients during this engagement [Company name] will issue Form 1099 if payments meet the IRS threshold. 5. CONFIDENTIALITY You agree to keep confidential any non-public information about [Company name], its customers, or its operations that you learn during this engagement. This obligation continues after the engagement ends. 6. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Any work product created specifically for [Company name] under this engagement is a "work made for hire" under US copyright law. To the extent any work product is not deemed work made for hire, you assign all rights to [Company name] upon payment. 7. TERMINATION Either party may terminate this engagement with [N] days written notice. [Company name] will pay for services performed up to the termination date. ────────────────────────────────────────── ACCEPTED: ____________________________ Date: __________ [Contractor name] ____________________________ Date: __________ [Company representative]
III.
III.The six non-negotiables

What every offer letter template must include.

  • 01Position and reporting line — title, manager name, department
  • 02Start date — a specific date, with flexibility language if needed
  • 03Base compensation — annual figure, pay frequency, no "up to" or "target" without specifics
  • 04Benefits — eligibility, with details handed off to plan documents if extensive
  • 05At-will language — explicit, in every state except Montana
  • 06Contingencies — background check, I-9, IP agreement, board approval if applicable
VI.
VI.Frequently asked

Questions about offer letters.

What needs to be in a US offer letter?

At minimum: position, start date, compensation (base + any variable), benefits eligibility, at-will language (in 49 states; Montana is the exception), and contingencies (background check, I-9, IP agreement). Anything beyond that is style — but those six elements are non-negotiable.

Should I include the at-will employment language?

Yes, in every US offer letter except those for Montana employees (where employment is not at-will by default). The at-will clause does two things: (1) it confirms the employment relationship is at-will, and (2) it provides legal evidence in a dispute that the employee understood and acknowledged it. Even if your state is strongly at-will by default, the explicit clause is worth having.

Can the candidate sign electronically?

Yes. Under the federal E-SIGN Act and state UETA laws, electronic signatures on offer letters are legally binding in the US. DocuSign, Adobe Sign, and similar services are fine. For high-comp executive offers, some companies still prefer physical signatures for the gravitas; it's not legally necessary.

What if we need to rescind an offer?

Before acceptance: legally simple, but professionally costly — handle with care. After acceptance: if the candidate hasn't started, you can still rescind, but you may owe damages (depends on state, terms of the offer, and whether the candidate relied on the offer to quit another job — 'promissory estoppel' risk). After start date: this is termination, not rescission.

Do offer letters need to be on letterhead?

Not legally, but yes for credibility. An offer letter on plain paper or in the body of an email feels casual; on letterhead it feels official. Use letterhead, PDF the final, and send via DocuSign or a similar e-signature platform.

VII.
VII.The wider library

Every HR document, in one library.

The offer letter templates above are free. For everything that comes after the offer — confidentiality agreements, performance reviews, onboarding documents — the paid library has the rest. $49 each.