What is a relieving letter? What are the consequences of not having one?

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up vote
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There have been a few questions about relieving letters here and based on the context of those question the idea of being required to have relieving letter seems quite foreign to many of us that are not from India. So this question is for those of us not from India that may not understand the culture.



  • What is a relieving letter?

  • When do you get a relieving letter?

  • What are they used for?

  • Do you need to keep all of them or just the most recent letter?

  • What are the consequences of not receiving a relieving letter when you leave an employer?






share|improve this question


















  • 1




    Related Question: workplace.stackexchange.com/q/19066/16
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 20 '14 at 21:28










  • More recent, related question: Can I join without release letter as I was sick to serve notice period?
    – DarkCygnus
    Feb 6 at 18:40
















up vote
93
down vote

favorite
9












There have been a few questions about relieving letters here and based on the context of those question the idea of being required to have relieving letter seems quite foreign to many of us that are not from India. So this question is for those of us not from India that may not understand the culture.



  • What is a relieving letter?

  • When do you get a relieving letter?

  • What are they used for?

  • Do you need to keep all of them or just the most recent letter?

  • What are the consequences of not receiving a relieving letter when you leave an employer?






share|improve this question


















  • 1




    Related Question: workplace.stackexchange.com/q/19066/16
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 20 '14 at 21:28










  • More recent, related question: Can I join without release letter as I was sick to serve notice period?
    – DarkCygnus
    Feb 6 at 18:40












up vote
93
down vote

favorite
9









up vote
93
down vote

favorite
9






9





There have been a few questions about relieving letters here and based on the context of those question the idea of being required to have relieving letter seems quite foreign to many of us that are not from India. So this question is for those of us not from India that may not understand the culture.



  • What is a relieving letter?

  • When do you get a relieving letter?

  • What are they used for?

  • Do you need to keep all of them or just the most recent letter?

  • What are the consequences of not receiving a relieving letter when you leave an employer?






share|improve this question














There have been a few questions about relieving letters here and based on the context of those question the idea of being required to have relieving letter seems quite foreign to many of us that are not from India. So this question is for those of us not from India that may not understand the culture.



  • What is a relieving letter?

  • When do you get a relieving letter?

  • What are they used for?

  • Do you need to keep all of them or just the most recent letter?

  • What are the consequences of not receiving a relieving letter when you leave an employer?








share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited Jun 20 '14 at 18:55









O. Jones

13.6k24070




13.6k24070










asked Mar 20 '14 at 21:01









IDrinkandIKnowThings

43.8k1397187




43.8k1397187







  • 1




    Related Question: workplace.stackexchange.com/q/19066/16
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 20 '14 at 21:28










  • More recent, related question: Can I join without release letter as I was sick to serve notice period?
    – DarkCygnus
    Feb 6 at 18:40












  • 1




    Related Question: workplace.stackexchange.com/q/19066/16
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 20 '14 at 21:28










  • More recent, related question: Can I join without release letter as I was sick to serve notice period?
    – DarkCygnus
    Feb 6 at 18:40







1




1




Related Question: workplace.stackexchange.com/q/19066/16
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Mar 20 '14 at 21:28




Related Question: workplace.stackexchange.com/q/19066/16
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Mar 20 '14 at 21:28












More recent, related question: Can I join without release letter as I was sick to serve notice period?
– DarkCygnus
Feb 6 at 18:40




More recent, related question: Can I join without release letter as I was sick to serve notice period?
– DarkCygnus
Feb 6 at 18:40










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
73
down vote



accepted











What is a relieving letter?




In India it is illegal for a person to have more than one job at a time. A relieving letter is issued by a company to an employee who has duly resigned from his said post, to be used as proof for future employers.




When do you get a relieving letter?




The relieving letter should be issued the same day you are going to leave the company. If the company does not issue the relieving letter it means that your resignation is not accepted and you are still an employee of that company until the company issues the relieving letter.




What are they used for?




Relieving letter only states formally that you have been relieved to ensure that a new employee has resigned from his previous company and he is not trying to work two jobs at the same time. This prevents people from taking a holiday to try out another company.



It will function as a notification to the employee, that his/her resignation has been accepted and he is relieved from his current duties.



Format of relieving letter



TO WHOM - SO - EVER IT MAY CONCERN

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT MR. ..................... HAS WORKED WITH US
AS................................. FROM .......................
TO .......................... SUBSEQUENT TO HIS RESIGNATION
DT................... , HE HAS BEEN RELEIVED FROM HIS DUTIES
W.E.F...............


(AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY)


Thanks


The above is a sample format of relieving letter, it may vary from company to company.




Do you need to keep all of them or just the most recent letter?




Most of companies are interested only in your most recent position, but some CMM level 5 companies require all of your relieving, experience, payslips for verification.
Companies like Infosys, TCS, CTS verify all the documents and also verify your educational qualification which includes your schooling and degree.



Background check practices in India vary significantly across different sectors, and even across different companies within the same sector, without defined principles, processes or laws. A comprehensive background check requires a prospective employer to validate a candidate’s educational qualifications, past employment records, work experience, criminal records and identity check, such as passport, driving license or income tax registration number. An effective validation process also may involve contacting past employers, former managers and supervisors.




What are the consequences of not receiving a relieving letter when you
leave an employer?




Most organization would at-most do one level of verification which is the latest, most recent relieving letter.



If you don't have the most recent relieving letter, there are greater chances of job application being dropped, regardless if you are a potential candidate or not. The employer has no way to know whether or not you have been relieved from your last assignment and that there are no pending engagements with your last employer.



Weeding out candidates with fudged resumes and preventing fraud requires a vigilant eye and a reliable method for background screening.



Indian companies have started realizing that an effective due diligence process for candidates can help reduce workplace-related problems such as theft, embezzlement, violence, injury and harassment. Such practices can also help mitigate the risks of potential lawsuits as a result of negligent hiring.






share|improve this answer


















  • 50




    So am I understanding this correctly that an employer in India can force some one to remain an employee against their will - seems to violate a number of the universal declaration of human rights in particular articles 4 and 23
    – Neuromancer
    Mar 20 '14 at 22:03






  • 19




    If you need the relieving letter from your last employer to apply for a new job, does that mean you have to quit your old job before you can even look for a new one? Normally I would suggest people don't quit their existing job before they have their new one in writing.
    – nvoigt
    Mar 21 '14 at 6:56






  • 11




    @Vinothbabu - What keeps people from using the relieving letter from the employer before their most recent and just saying they do not have a job since?
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 25 '14 at 15:26






  • 7




    @Vinothbabu - That is not what I am asking though. Is there any thing that prevents you from just using a relieving letter from a previous employer and not disclosing that you worked for another employer after?
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 25 '14 at 18:59






  • 19




    Is people having multiple jobs a big enough problem in India that it needs to be legislated against?
    – Burhan Ali
    Dec 6 '14 at 2:06









protected by Elysian Fields♦ Mar 7 '16 at 14:37



Thank you for your interest in this question.
Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).



Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?














1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
73
down vote



accepted











What is a relieving letter?




In India it is illegal for a person to have more than one job at a time. A relieving letter is issued by a company to an employee who has duly resigned from his said post, to be used as proof for future employers.




When do you get a relieving letter?




The relieving letter should be issued the same day you are going to leave the company. If the company does not issue the relieving letter it means that your resignation is not accepted and you are still an employee of that company until the company issues the relieving letter.




What are they used for?




Relieving letter only states formally that you have been relieved to ensure that a new employee has resigned from his previous company and he is not trying to work two jobs at the same time. This prevents people from taking a holiday to try out another company.



It will function as a notification to the employee, that his/her resignation has been accepted and he is relieved from his current duties.



Format of relieving letter



TO WHOM - SO - EVER IT MAY CONCERN

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT MR. ..................... HAS WORKED WITH US
AS................................. FROM .......................
TO .......................... SUBSEQUENT TO HIS RESIGNATION
DT................... , HE HAS BEEN RELEIVED FROM HIS DUTIES
W.E.F...............


(AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY)


Thanks


The above is a sample format of relieving letter, it may vary from company to company.




Do you need to keep all of them or just the most recent letter?




Most of companies are interested only in your most recent position, but some CMM level 5 companies require all of your relieving, experience, payslips for verification.
Companies like Infosys, TCS, CTS verify all the documents and also verify your educational qualification which includes your schooling and degree.



Background check practices in India vary significantly across different sectors, and even across different companies within the same sector, without defined principles, processes or laws. A comprehensive background check requires a prospective employer to validate a candidate’s educational qualifications, past employment records, work experience, criminal records and identity check, such as passport, driving license or income tax registration number. An effective validation process also may involve contacting past employers, former managers and supervisors.




What are the consequences of not receiving a relieving letter when you
leave an employer?




Most organization would at-most do one level of verification which is the latest, most recent relieving letter.



If you don't have the most recent relieving letter, there are greater chances of job application being dropped, regardless if you are a potential candidate or not. The employer has no way to know whether or not you have been relieved from your last assignment and that there are no pending engagements with your last employer.



Weeding out candidates with fudged resumes and preventing fraud requires a vigilant eye and a reliable method for background screening.



Indian companies have started realizing that an effective due diligence process for candidates can help reduce workplace-related problems such as theft, embezzlement, violence, injury and harassment. Such practices can also help mitigate the risks of potential lawsuits as a result of negligent hiring.






share|improve this answer


















  • 50




    So am I understanding this correctly that an employer in India can force some one to remain an employee against their will - seems to violate a number of the universal declaration of human rights in particular articles 4 and 23
    – Neuromancer
    Mar 20 '14 at 22:03






  • 19




    If you need the relieving letter from your last employer to apply for a new job, does that mean you have to quit your old job before you can even look for a new one? Normally I would suggest people don't quit their existing job before they have their new one in writing.
    – nvoigt
    Mar 21 '14 at 6:56






  • 11




    @Vinothbabu - What keeps people from using the relieving letter from the employer before their most recent and just saying they do not have a job since?
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 25 '14 at 15:26






  • 7




    @Vinothbabu - That is not what I am asking though. Is there any thing that prevents you from just using a relieving letter from a previous employer and not disclosing that you worked for another employer after?
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 25 '14 at 18:59






  • 19




    Is people having multiple jobs a big enough problem in India that it needs to be legislated against?
    – Burhan Ali
    Dec 6 '14 at 2:06














up vote
73
down vote



accepted











What is a relieving letter?




In India it is illegal for a person to have more than one job at a time. A relieving letter is issued by a company to an employee who has duly resigned from his said post, to be used as proof for future employers.




When do you get a relieving letter?




The relieving letter should be issued the same day you are going to leave the company. If the company does not issue the relieving letter it means that your resignation is not accepted and you are still an employee of that company until the company issues the relieving letter.




What are they used for?




Relieving letter only states formally that you have been relieved to ensure that a new employee has resigned from his previous company and he is not trying to work two jobs at the same time. This prevents people from taking a holiday to try out another company.



It will function as a notification to the employee, that his/her resignation has been accepted and he is relieved from his current duties.



Format of relieving letter



TO WHOM - SO - EVER IT MAY CONCERN

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT MR. ..................... HAS WORKED WITH US
AS................................. FROM .......................
TO .......................... SUBSEQUENT TO HIS RESIGNATION
DT................... , HE HAS BEEN RELEIVED FROM HIS DUTIES
W.E.F...............


(AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY)


Thanks


The above is a sample format of relieving letter, it may vary from company to company.




Do you need to keep all of them or just the most recent letter?




Most of companies are interested only in your most recent position, but some CMM level 5 companies require all of your relieving, experience, payslips for verification.
Companies like Infosys, TCS, CTS verify all the documents and also verify your educational qualification which includes your schooling and degree.



Background check practices in India vary significantly across different sectors, and even across different companies within the same sector, without defined principles, processes or laws. A comprehensive background check requires a prospective employer to validate a candidate’s educational qualifications, past employment records, work experience, criminal records and identity check, such as passport, driving license or income tax registration number. An effective validation process also may involve contacting past employers, former managers and supervisors.




What are the consequences of not receiving a relieving letter when you
leave an employer?




Most organization would at-most do one level of verification which is the latest, most recent relieving letter.



If you don't have the most recent relieving letter, there are greater chances of job application being dropped, regardless if you are a potential candidate or not. The employer has no way to know whether or not you have been relieved from your last assignment and that there are no pending engagements with your last employer.



Weeding out candidates with fudged resumes and preventing fraud requires a vigilant eye and a reliable method for background screening.



Indian companies have started realizing that an effective due diligence process for candidates can help reduce workplace-related problems such as theft, embezzlement, violence, injury and harassment. Such practices can also help mitigate the risks of potential lawsuits as a result of negligent hiring.






share|improve this answer


















  • 50




    So am I understanding this correctly that an employer in India can force some one to remain an employee against their will - seems to violate a number of the universal declaration of human rights in particular articles 4 and 23
    – Neuromancer
    Mar 20 '14 at 22:03






  • 19




    If you need the relieving letter from your last employer to apply for a new job, does that mean you have to quit your old job before you can even look for a new one? Normally I would suggest people don't quit their existing job before they have their new one in writing.
    – nvoigt
    Mar 21 '14 at 6:56






  • 11




    @Vinothbabu - What keeps people from using the relieving letter from the employer before their most recent and just saying they do not have a job since?
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 25 '14 at 15:26






  • 7




    @Vinothbabu - That is not what I am asking though. Is there any thing that prevents you from just using a relieving letter from a previous employer and not disclosing that you worked for another employer after?
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 25 '14 at 18:59






  • 19




    Is people having multiple jobs a big enough problem in India that it needs to be legislated against?
    – Burhan Ali
    Dec 6 '14 at 2:06












up vote
73
down vote



accepted







up vote
73
down vote



accepted







What is a relieving letter?




In India it is illegal for a person to have more than one job at a time. A relieving letter is issued by a company to an employee who has duly resigned from his said post, to be used as proof for future employers.




When do you get a relieving letter?




The relieving letter should be issued the same day you are going to leave the company. If the company does not issue the relieving letter it means that your resignation is not accepted and you are still an employee of that company until the company issues the relieving letter.




What are they used for?




Relieving letter only states formally that you have been relieved to ensure that a new employee has resigned from his previous company and he is not trying to work two jobs at the same time. This prevents people from taking a holiday to try out another company.



It will function as a notification to the employee, that his/her resignation has been accepted and he is relieved from his current duties.



Format of relieving letter



TO WHOM - SO - EVER IT MAY CONCERN

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT MR. ..................... HAS WORKED WITH US
AS................................. FROM .......................
TO .......................... SUBSEQUENT TO HIS RESIGNATION
DT................... , HE HAS BEEN RELEIVED FROM HIS DUTIES
W.E.F...............


(AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY)


Thanks


The above is a sample format of relieving letter, it may vary from company to company.




Do you need to keep all of them or just the most recent letter?




Most of companies are interested only in your most recent position, but some CMM level 5 companies require all of your relieving, experience, payslips for verification.
Companies like Infosys, TCS, CTS verify all the documents and also verify your educational qualification which includes your schooling and degree.



Background check practices in India vary significantly across different sectors, and even across different companies within the same sector, without defined principles, processes or laws. A comprehensive background check requires a prospective employer to validate a candidate’s educational qualifications, past employment records, work experience, criminal records and identity check, such as passport, driving license or income tax registration number. An effective validation process also may involve contacting past employers, former managers and supervisors.




What are the consequences of not receiving a relieving letter when you
leave an employer?




Most organization would at-most do one level of verification which is the latest, most recent relieving letter.



If you don't have the most recent relieving letter, there are greater chances of job application being dropped, regardless if you are a potential candidate or not. The employer has no way to know whether or not you have been relieved from your last assignment and that there are no pending engagements with your last employer.



Weeding out candidates with fudged resumes and preventing fraud requires a vigilant eye and a reliable method for background screening.



Indian companies have started realizing that an effective due diligence process for candidates can help reduce workplace-related problems such as theft, embezzlement, violence, injury and harassment. Such practices can also help mitigate the risks of potential lawsuits as a result of negligent hiring.






share|improve this answer















What is a relieving letter?




In India it is illegal for a person to have more than one job at a time. A relieving letter is issued by a company to an employee who has duly resigned from his said post, to be used as proof for future employers.




When do you get a relieving letter?




The relieving letter should be issued the same day you are going to leave the company. If the company does not issue the relieving letter it means that your resignation is not accepted and you are still an employee of that company until the company issues the relieving letter.




What are they used for?




Relieving letter only states formally that you have been relieved to ensure that a new employee has resigned from his previous company and he is not trying to work two jobs at the same time. This prevents people from taking a holiday to try out another company.



It will function as a notification to the employee, that his/her resignation has been accepted and he is relieved from his current duties.



Format of relieving letter



TO WHOM - SO - EVER IT MAY CONCERN

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT MR. ..................... HAS WORKED WITH US
AS................................. FROM .......................
TO .......................... SUBSEQUENT TO HIS RESIGNATION
DT................... , HE HAS BEEN RELEIVED FROM HIS DUTIES
W.E.F...............


(AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY)


Thanks


The above is a sample format of relieving letter, it may vary from company to company.




Do you need to keep all of them or just the most recent letter?




Most of companies are interested only in your most recent position, but some CMM level 5 companies require all of your relieving, experience, payslips for verification.
Companies like Infosys, TCS, CTS verify all the documents and also verify your educational qualification which includes your schooling and degree.



Background check practices in India vary significantly across different sectors, and even across different companies within the same sector, without defined principles, processes or laws. A comprehensive background check requires a prospective employer to validate a candidate’s educational qualifications, past employment records, work experience, criminal records and identity check, such as passport, driving license or income tax registration number. An effective validation process also may involve contacting past employers, former managers and supervisors.




What are the consequences of not receiving a relieving letter when you
leave an employer?




Most organization would at-most do one level of verification which is the latest, most recent relieving letter.



If you don't have the most recent relieving letter, there are greater chances of job application being dropped, regardless if you are a potential candidate or not. The employer has no way to know whether or not you have been relieved from your last assignment and that there are no pending engagements with your last employer.



Weeding out candidates with fudged resumes and preventing fraud requires a vigilant eye and a reliable method for background screening.



Indian companies have started realizing that an effective due diligence process for candidates can help reduce workplace-related problems such as theft, embezzlement, violence, injury and harassment. Such practices can also help mitigate the risks of potential lawsuits as a result of negligent hiring.







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited Aug 13 '14 at 14:42









David S.

3,9902441




3,9902441










answered Mar 20 '14 at 21:19









Thalaivar

1,6391114




1,6391114







  • 50




    So am I understanding this correctly that an employer in India can force some one to remain an employee against their will - seems to violate a number of the universal declaration of human rights in particular articles 4 and 23
    – Neuromancer
    Mar 20 '14 at 22:03






  • 19




    If you need the relieving letter from your last employer to apply for a new job, does that mean you have to quit your old job before you can even look for a new one? Normally I would suggest people don't quit their existing job before they have their new one in writing.
    – nvoigt
    Mar 21 '14 at 6:56






  • 11




    @Vinothbabu - What keeps people from using the relieving letter from the employer before their most recent and just saying they do not have a job since?
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 25 '14 at 15:26






  • 7




    @Vinothbabu - That is not what I am asking though. Is there any thing that prevents you from just using a relieving letter from a previous employer and not disclosing that you worked for another employer after?
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 25 '14 at 18:59






  • 19




    Is people having multiple jobs a big enough problem in India that it needs to be legislated against?
    – Burhan Ali
    Dec 6 '14 at 2:06












  • 50




    So am I understanding this correctly that an employer in India can force some one to remain an employee against their will - seems to violate a number of the universal declaration of human rights in particular articles 4 and 23
    – Neuromancer
    Mar 20 '14 at 22:03






  • 19




    If you need the relieving letter from your last employer to apply for a new job, does that mean you have to quit your old job before you can even look for a new one? Normally I would suggest people don't quit their existing job before they have their new one in writing.
    – nvoigt
    Mar 21 '14 at 6:56






  • 11




    @Vinothbabu - What keeps people from using the relieving letter from the employer before their most recent and just saying they do not have a job since?
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 25 '14 at 15:26






  • 7




    @Vinothbabu - That is not what I am asking though. Is there any thing that prevents you from just using a relieving letter from a previous employer and not disclosing that you worked for another employer after?
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Mar 25 '14 at 18:59






  • 19




    Is people having multiple jobs a big enough problem in India that it needs to be legislated against?
    – Burhan Ali
    Dec 6 '14 at 2:06







50




50




So am I understanding this correctly that an employer in India can force some one to remain an employee against their will - seems to violate a number of the universal declaration of human rights in particular articles 4 and 23
– Neuromancer
Mar 20 '14 at 22:03




So am I understanding this correctly that an employer in India can force some one to remain an employee against their will - seems to violate a number of the universal declaration of human rights in particular articles 4 and 23
– Neuromancer
Mar 20 '14 at 22:03




19




19




If you need the relieving letter from your last employer to apply for a new job, does that mean you have to quit your old job before you can even look for a new one? Normally I would suggest people don't quit their existing job before they have their new one in writing.
– nvoigt
Mar 21 '14 at 6:56




If you need the relieving letter from your last employer to apply for a new job, does that mean you have to quit your old job before you can even look for a new one? Normally I would suggest people don't quit their existing job before they have their new one in writing.
– nvoigt
Mar 21 '14 at 6:56




11




11




@Vinothbabu - What keeps people from using the relieving letter from the employer before their most recent and just saying they do not have a job since?
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Mar 25 '14 at 15:26




@Vinothbabu - What keeps people from using the relieving letter from the employer before their most recent and just saying they do not have a job since?
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Mar 25 '14 at 15:26




7




7




@Vinothbabu - That is not what I am asking though. Is there any thing that prevents you from just using a relieving letter from a previous employer and not disclosing that you worked for another employer after?
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Mar 25 '14 at 18:59




@Vinothbabu - That is not what I am asking though. Is there any thing that prevents you from just using a relieving letter from a previous employer and not disclosing that you worked for another employer after?
– IDrinkandIKnowThings
Mar 25 '14 at 18:59




19




19




Is people having multiple jobs a big enough problem in India that it needs to be legislated against?
– Burhan Ali
Dec 6 '14 at 2:06




Is people having multiple jobs a big enough problem in India that it needs to be legislated against?
– Burhan Ali
Dec 6 '14 at 2:06





protected by Elysian Fields♦ Mar 7 '16 at 14:37



Thank you for your interest in this question.
Because it has attracted low-quality or spam answers that had to be removed, posting an answer now requires 10 reputation on this site (the association bonus does not count).



Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?


Comments

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