Recruiting template
Conditional Offer Letter Template
A conditional offer of employment is a job offer that depends on conditions being met before the person starts, such as references, a background check, a right-to-work check or final exam results. Pick the version below that fits, fill in your details and copy it.
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Note
Conditional offer letter (subject to checks)
When to use it: You want to secure the candidate now while references, a right-to-work check or other pre-employment checks are still running.
Conditional offer pending a background check (US)
When to use it: A US hire whose offer is contingent on a background check run by a screening company, where the candidate needs to know the separate consent step and what happens if something comes up.
Graduate offer subject to final results
When to use it: A student or graduate hire, made months ahead, where the offer depends on finishing a degree or reaching a grade.
Conditional offer letter (India)
When to use it: A hire in India, where the offer usually depends on background verification and on documents from the candidate's previous employer.
Offer confirmation email (conditions met)
When to use it: The email you send once every condition is met, making the offer final so the candidate can resign from their current job.
SubjectYour offer is confirmed: [Job title] at [Company name]
How to use this template
- 1Make the offer by phone or video first and explain that it is conditional, so the conditions in the letter are not a surprise.
- 2Pick the version that fits: general checks, a US background check, a graduate offer subject to results, or the India version with background verification and a relieving letter.
- 3Name every condition specifically. "Satisfactory references" is clearer than "pre-employment checks", and the candidate knows what to expect.
- 4Start the checks as soon as the candidate accepts, and tell them when each one is complete.
- 5When every condition is met, send the confirmation email straight away. Until then, the candidate cannot safely resign from their current job.
Mistakes to avoid
- Listing vague conditions, such as "any other checks we consider necessary", which leaves the candidate unsure and the offer open-ended.
- Letting checks drag on for weeks, so the candidate accepts another offer while waiting.
- Forgetting to tell the candidate when the conditions are met, so they hold off resigning longer than they need to.
- Running a background check through a screening company without the separate consent step required where you hire.
- Asking about criminal history or health before the offer in places where the law only allows it afterwards.
Questions
What is a conditional offer of employment?
A job offer that only becomes final once certain conditions are met, such as satisfactory references, a background check, a right-to-work check, a medical check or proof of a qualification. The letter names each condition and says the offer may be withdrawn if one is not met.
What is the difference between a conditional job offer and an unconditional one?
A conditional job offer still depends on checks or results. An unconditional offer has no conditions left. Many offers start conditional and become unconditional once the checks are complete; the confirmation email above is how you tell the candidate.
Can a conditional job offer be withdrawn?
In the UK, Acas guidance says an employer can withdraw a conditional offer if the conditions are not met, and that withdrawing it once all the conditions have been met could be a breach of contract. Rules differ elsewhere, so check local law before withdrawing any offer.
What should a conditional offer letter include?
The job title, manager, planned start date and main terms, each condition named specifically, what happens if a condition is not met, a request not to resign until the offer is confirmed, a date to accept by and a contact for questions.
What do I need to do before a background check in the US?
If you use a screening company, the FTC says the FCRA requires a stand-alone written disclosure and the candidate's written permission before you get the report. Before withdrawing an offer because of the report, you must give the candidate a copy of it and "A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act". Some states and cities, such as California under its Fair Chance Act, also limit questions about conviction history until after an offer.
Can a conditional offer depend on a medical exam?
In the US, the EEOC's guidance on the ADA says an employer covered by the ADA may require a medical exam after a conditional offer, as long as it requires the same of everyone entering that job category. It cannot ask disability-related questions or require an exam before the offer. Other countries have their own rules.
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