What is an experience letter, and why do employees need one?
An experience letter (also called an experience certificate) is a company's written confirmation of an employee's role, tenure, and conduct during employment. Unlike a relieving letter, it's usually written "To Whomsoever It May Concern" rather than addressed to the employee, so it can be produced later for a new employer's background check, a visa application, or an admission to a further-education programme.
What is the difference between an experience letter and a relieving letter?
A relieving letter only confirms that a resignation was accepted and that the employee is released from duties and dues as of a specific date — that's what most background-verification checks ask for first. An experience letter separately certifies the role, tenure, and conduct, and is the document employees actually keep and reuse for years afterward. Some companies combine both into one letter; others issue them separately — use the relieving letter generator for the release-and-dues version.
Is an employer legally required to issue an experience letter?
There's no single central law that names an "experience letter" as mandatory, but it's standard HR practice across Indian companies and is often written into appointment letters and exit policies. An employee who completed their notice period and settlement but wasn't issued one should raise it with HR in writing, since it's usually a policy commitment rather than a discretionary favour.
Should an experience letter mention salary or CTC?
Best practice in India is to leave salary and CTC out of the experience letter entirely. Background verification for compensation is normally done separately, directly between the new and previous employer or through a verification agency, with the employee's written consent — putting a specific number on a document the employee can freely photocopy and share creates a confidentiality risk with no real upside.
What should an experience letter include at minimum?
Company letterhead or name, the employee's full name and final designation, the exact employment dates (date of joining to last working day), a short line on conduct or performance, and a signature block from HR or an authorised signatory. Department, employee ID, and a one-line note on key contributions are common optional additions.
Can I download the generated experience letter as a PDF?
Yes. Use the "Print / Save as PDF" button, which opens your browser's print dialog — choose "Save as PDF" as the destination to get a PDF copy of just the formatted letter, with the form and page navigation left out.