How to use it
- 1Enter your company name, address and logo once. They are saved on your device for next time, and so is your Labour Identification Number (LIN).
- 2Fill in the employee's name, father's or mother's name and date of birth. Add the Aadhaar number only if the employee agrees to share it, and the UAN or ESI number if they already have one.
- 3Choose the type of employment (regular, fixed-term or contractual) and the category of skill, then enter the designation, the date of joining and the broad nature of duties.
- 4Enter basic pay and dearness allowance, then each allowance on its own line. The box under the form shows the gross and what share of it is basic pay plus DA.
- 5Check the preview, press Download PDF / Print, and give the employee one signed copy. Keep the copy they sign and return.
- 6Want to change the wording yourself? Press Word (.docx) for an editable file. It is made on your device, like the PDF.
The sixteen particulars, and where they come from
Rule 6 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026, notified on 8 May 2026, says that no employee shall be employed in an establishment unless an appointment letter has been issued in the format the rule sets out. The format is a list, and this page follows it row by row:
- Name of employee
- Date of birth
- Father’s / mother’s name
- Aadhaar number (after obtaining consent)
- Labour Identification Number of the establishment
- Universal Account Number and / or insurance number (if available)
- Designation
- Type of employment: regular, fixed-term employment or contractual
- Category of skill
- Date of joining
- Wages: basic pay and dearness allowance
- Other allowances, including accommodation (whichever applicable)
- Applicability of social security benefits
- Broad nature of duties to be performed
- Benefits available under Chapter VI (maternity benefit) for women employees
- Any other information
The letter is signed by the employer; the rule also allows a digital signature. Working hours, place of work, probation and notice period are not on the list, so this format prints them under row 16, “Any other information”.
Why the letter shows basic pay and DA separately
The labour codes use one definition of “wages” for provident fund, gratuity, bonus and overtime. Basic pay, dearness allowance and retaining allowance are always wages. If the items the definition leaves out, such as house rent allowance, conveyance allowance and overtime, add up to more than half of the total pay, the part above half is added back to wages. The box under the form shows what share of the gross is basic pay plus DA, so you can see where a pay structure stands before you put it in writing. Our salary slip format explains the rule with an example.
Give one copy, keep one copy
Print two copies. The employee signs the acceptance at the bottom of one and returns it; the other is theirs to keep. File the signed copy with their joining documents: it is your proof that the letter was issued.
What this page is not
This is a format, not legal advice. The particulars above are those of the Central Rules as notified; state rules can add to them, and an employer with standing orders or a service agreement will want those reflected too. For senior hires, non-compete or intellectual property clauses, have the letter reviewed by someone who practises employment law.
Questions people ask
Is an appointment letter compulsory now?
Yes. Section 6(1)(f) of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 requires every employer to issue a letter of appointment to every employee, with the information and in the form prescribed. The Code came into force on 21 November 2025.
What must the appointment letter contain?
Rule 6 of the OSH (Central) Rules, 2026 lists sixteen particulars: name, date of birth, father's or mother's name, Aadhaar number (after obtaining consent), Labour Identification Number of the establishment, UAN and/or insurance number if available, designation, type of employment, category of skill, date of joining, wages (basic pay and dearness allowance), other allowances including accommodation, applicability of social security benefits, broad nature of duties, maternity benefit under Chapter VI for women employees, and any other information. This format prints all sixteen, in that order.
Can I download this appointment letter format in Word?
Yes. Press Word (.docx) above the preview. The file is laid out like the PDF, and every word and figure in it can be edited. It is a standard .docx file, the format used by Microsoft Word, Google Docs, WPS Office and LibreOffice. Press it with an empty form and you get a blank appointment letter format in Word, with all sixteen rows ready to fill.
We are a private shop or company. Do the Central Rules apply to us?
The duty to issue an appointment letter comes from the Code itself and applies to every establishment it covers. The Central Rules, and the format in rule 6, apply directly where the Central Government is the appropriate government, such as railways, mines, major ports, banks and central public sector undertakings. For most private businesses the State Government is the appropriate government, and the state's own OSH rules prescribe the form. States are following the same particulars, but check the rules notified for your state.
What about employees who joined before the codes and never got a letter?
The Code says that an employee who had not been issued an appointment letter when it commenced must be issued one within three months of commencement. That period has passed, so if any of your staff still have no letter, issue one now. Use their original date of joining.
Do I have to write the Aadhaar number?
Only with the employee's consent. The rule itself says 'after obtaining consent'. If the employee does not want to share it, leave the box empty and the letter prints 'Not furnished'. Whatever you type stays in your own browser and is never sent to us.
What is the difference between regular, fixed-term and contractual?
Regular employment has no end date. Fixed-term employment is a written contract for a fixed period; under section 2(o) of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 such an employee gets hours, wages, allowances and benefits not less than a permanent worker doing the same work, statutory benefits in proportion to the service, and gratuity after one year of service under the contract. Contractual is the option for a person engaged on a contract, for example contract labour engaged through a contractor.
How is an appointment letter different from an offer letter?
An offer letter invites a candidate to join and can lapse if not accepted. The appointment letter is issued when the person is actually appointed, records the terms of employment, and is the document the law now requires. Many employers issue both.
Is there a blank appointment letter format?
Yes. Press 'Blank format' to print the letter with all sixteen rows empty, to fill by hand.
Last reviewed: 19 September 2026