Relieving Letter
A relieving letter confirms that an employee has been formally released from their obligations on a given date, having served notice and completed handover.
Also known as: relieving letter format, relieving letter meaning
It is the document the next employer usually asks for, because it evidences a clean exit — that notice was served or settled, and that the previous employer considers the relationship closed.
Withholding it is a common pressure tactic and a poor one. Where dues are genuinely outstanding the correct route is the settlement, not the letter; refusing to relieve someone who has met their obligations creates a dispute that costs more than the amount in question.
It is distinct from an experience letter, which describes tenure and role for future employers. Many companies issue both on the same day and the two are frequently confused.
Handled in SignHR
Onboarding & Offboarding
Joining to exit in one flow: offer letters, digital joining forms, e-signatures, welcome workflows, clearance checklists, and full-and-final settlement.
See onboarding & offboardingRelated terms
Experience Letter
An experience letter certifies that a person worked for an organisation — the dates, the role held, and sometimes a brief note on conduct — for use with future employers.
Full and Final Settlement (F&F)
Full and final settlement is the closing calculation when an employee leaves — everything still owed to them, less everything they owe, paid as one amount after the last working day.
Notice Period
Notice period is the time an employee must continue working after resigning, or that an employer must give before terminating, as set by the employment contract.
Appointment Letter
An appointment letter is issued after an employee joins and confirms the terms of employment — the document that governs the relationship, where the offer letter only proposed it.