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To grant a request or proposal, authorization letters are done. These letters are made for different purposes. Some of this may be a letter for giving permission or allowing someone to act in behalf of you. It could also be a letter to delegating responsibilities or a letter to authorize a medical treatment. For business or organization purposes, authorization letters are given to make the action official.

However, you have to be very careful in writing your letter to avoid confusion. State exactly and clearly what you want so that limitations will not be crossed. It should state the important details very clearly – when to conduct the study or report, what are the means that can be utilized, etc. Your letter should be brief and your tone should be businesslike. Clarify the time frame so that there will be no confusions or misunderstandings to the bounds or extent of the authorization. Below is an example letter to authorize a study or report.

SAMPLE AUTHORIZATION LETTER

May 28, 2010

Jenny Smith
455 Shaw Boulevard
New York, USA 04230

Dear Ms. Smith,

We have received your proposal to conduct a case study on our students here at NY Student Academy. We understand that you are doing this study for your undergraduate thesis. You are given the authority to conduct your study provided that you give us a copy of your project report in a weekly basis.

Please remember that only the college students are allowed participate in your study. You can not include those in the lower level to be a part of your respondents as their guardians may not approve.

Please proceed as you have outlined in your proposal. You can start your study on Monday. I have informed the staff and students about this study. I look forward to receiving your first progress report on Friday, next week. It is our pleasure to be a part of your study.

Should you have any other concerns that you’d like to address us, please call us at 234-1242. Thank you very much and have a good day!

Sincerely,

Jenna Smith
Principal

In businesses, there are instances wherein clients fail to comply on the due deadline of their payments. This in turn may cause some other complications in the business transactions. However, you should still be warm and accommodating when you acknowledge payment of an overdue balance. An acknowledgment letter would be helpful to give your customers the assurance that you’ve already received their payments. A well-constructed acknowledgment letter can be the key to winning your client’s trust and loyalty.

Aside from acknowledging the payment received, it is also used to remind the customer of the terms and agreement of the business transaction. This would be helpful for credits that will be made in the future. Always be courteous and sincere in your letter. And, never blame your customer even though they weren’t able to settle their accounts on the right time. Remember, there must be some reason behind this. So be considerate and think of others as well. Be considerate but strict. Business is still business. Below is an example of a letter on how to acknowledge payment of an overdue balance.

SAMPLE ACKNOWLEDGMENT LETTER

May 28, 2010
Jenny Smith
455 Shaw Boulevard
New York, USA 4230

Re: Overdue Balance Payment Acknowledgment for Account # 22124

Dear Ms. Smith,

Good day! I am writing to inform you that we have received your payment that was due last month. Thank you for remitting this payment to us. However, please make sure that you settle your credit accounts every first week of the month. Customers who cannot comply with this will be penalized and charged with 3% of the bill.

We have now removed all the restrictions of your account and you can now make transactions again. Please adhere to the terms and condition of your contract to avoid penalty charges. If the client exceeded the given time for payment, we will be forced to block their accounts.

We appreciate doing business with you. Should you have any other concerns that you would like to address us, please feel free to contact us at 380-0014. We are more than willing to address your needs.
We are looking forward to serving you again in the future. Thank you very much and have a good day.

Sincerely,

Susan Bourne
Branch Manager
CDB Credits

Companies have office house rules and regulations that are implemented. This house rules presentation is often part of the company orientation for each new hire. This is to create awareness for all employees on the different company policies and regulations implemented. The company requires all employees to observe these house rules at all times to ensure the smooth flow of their daily operations.

As the immediate superior, you are usually the bearer of good and bad news to your subordinates. You are the one who monitors your employee’s performance and give them reprimands or warnings when necessary.

To reprimand an employee for breach of policy needs to be undertaken with utmost care. It has to be objective. It needs to focus on the employees’ actions not on the employees themselves.

Find below a sample of a letter of reprimand:

SAMPLE LETTER

MEMORANDUM

TO: Name of Employee
Position
FROM: Name of Immediate Superior
Position
DATE:
SUBJECT: Written Reprimand for (state policy violation)

You have failed to report your absence from work yesterday. (Cite specific company policy that was violated.) Company policy states that you need to notify your immediate supervisor of your absence at least two hours before your tour of duty. Failure to do so would mean that an employee will be declared AWOL (Absent without Leave).

Please note that this is not the first time you incurred this particular offense. On several occasions, we had formal discussions regarding this policy. (List previous dates and details of counseling sessions.) I have not seen improvements from you despite repeated counseling sessions. I am giving you this Written Reprimand for violation of (state company policy.)

You are a vital part of the department. There are client requirements that our department need to achieve. The company relies on our department, and you as front line Customer Service Representative, are expected to deliver what the client needs.

With this memorandum, I expect you to make this as a serious matter. Further violation will merit further action and might lead to termination from this company.

__________
Name of Immediate Superior – Position
Date

Affixing my signature denotes my acknowledgement and understanding of this memorandum.

_____________
Name of Employee – Position
Date

To write a confirmation letter that you have received an order, it would be useful to write acknowledgment letters. This would help you inform the recipient of important details. But more importantly, you give your client the assurance that you’ve received his/her order. You can always win your clients’ trust and loyalty if you are attentive of their needs and preferences.

Not all business transactions require you to acknowledge an order or subscription placed. But there’s no harm done in making one. This can serve as a written proof of compliance for important documentations. Your letter should include all the important details regarding your customer’s order or subscription. Don’t forget to include in your letter the following details:

  1. The products that were ordered/subscription
  2. Quantity
  3. Quality
  4. Amount of the purchase order
  5. The date when the products will be delivered
  6. Promos, other products and services if there are any

Make sure that you double check the details before you send your letter. Maintain a professional business tone with your letter. You should send your letter immediately after you receive the letter of order or subscription. Thank your customer for continuous patronage. Leave your contact details so they can easily reach you if they have other concerns. Below is an example of a letter on how to acknowledge an order or subscription placed.

SAMPLE ACKNOWLEDGMENT LETTER

May 28, 2010

Patrick Smith
65 St. Therese Street
New York, USA 3083

Dear Mr. Smith,

Good day. We are writing to acknowledge the order that you sent us the other day. We are confirming your orders.

We have received your order for the following merchandise:

  1. Thirty pairs of fashion boots at $80.00 per pair
  2. Fifty pieces of signature sun glasses at $100.00 each
  3. Sixty pieces of assorted ladies’ tees at $50.00 each.

Total amount of the order: $10,400.00.

Please note that we will be adding an extra $50 for the shipping fee. Your orders will arrive on June 1, 2010.
Please feel free to contact us if there are clarifications regarding your order. You can reach us at 938-2323. Thank you very much for your continued patronage. We are looking forward to serving you again.

Sincerely,

Jenna Curke
Branch Manager
Curke’s Fashion Merchandise

Not all people have the guts to express their suggestions, especially their bosses. In light of this, you have to have a positive attitude in acknowledging people’s suggestions and feedback. If you show your customers your openness to recommendations, they will not be hesitant anymore.

Start your letter by expressing your appreciation for their suggestion. After this, explain to the person how you plan to implement their suggestion. Through this, they will feel that their suggestions are given importance too. Assure them that you will be discussing the idea to your colleagues and give it full consideration.

You should also include the possible upsides that will result from the implementation of their suggestion. Make them feel free to address their concerns and suggestion in the future. And lastly, end your letter expressing your appreciation again. Below is an example letter on how to accept and express appreciation for a suggestion.

SAMPLE ACCEPTANCE LETTER

May 28, 2010

Michael Patrickson
Brown Street Boulevard
San Antonio, California 4038

Dear Mr. Patrickson,

Good day! In behalf of the Smith Hotel and Lodge, I would like to thank you for your valuable suggestion that you left in our suggestion box. As the manager of this hotel, my colleagues and I have decided to implement your suggestion as immediately as possible. We believe that this would be of great help to everyone in the hotel. This would help us provide better services for our customers.

By the next time that you stay in our hotel, rest assured that your suggestions have already been implemented. We only want the best for our customers. We aim to make your stay in our hotel comfortable and special.

Again, we would like to thank you for the suggestion that you sent us. We hope to see more of your feedbacks in the future, as these will help us in improving our services. If you have any other concerns that you would like to address, please feel free to contact us at 883-84-39. Again, thank you very much and have a good day!

Sincerely,

Brenda Smith
Hotel Manager
Smith Hotel and Lodge

As a supervisor, you monitor the performance of employees who directly reports to you. You will need to conduct coaching sessions with your subordinates and you need to make sure that goals and client requirements are met. There will also be a time when you have to correct your subordinate’s behavior. Most supervisors/managers try to avoid this sometimes unpleasant task of giving a reprimand. However, you have a responsibility to your company, as well as to your team, to achieve productivity requirements set by your clients or company. Dismissing unproductive behavior often undermines not only the employee’s effectiveness, but also the success of the whole team.

In specific instances, you will have to give a warning to an employee when he or she intentionally disregards established office policy and procedures. Office reprimands or citations are placed in the employee’s personnel file serving as documentation of an unacceptable performance.

Here is a sample of warning citation:

SAMPLE LETTER

MEMORANDUM

TO: Name of Employee
Position
FROM: Name of Immediate Superior
Position
DATE:
SUBJECT: Written Warning

During our previous coaching sessions (list down dates of previous counseling sessions), I reviewed with you job performance concerns that you need to focus on to improve your productivity. Since that time, I have yet to see improvement in those areas and these problems continue to exist:

  1. Low productivity
  2. List down other areas noted

You are not meeting performance requirements that are expected from you by the company. You, as a Customer Service Representative, are a vital part of our office operations. (Indicate company requirement.) Your position requires you to achieve 95% productivity at all times to meet our client’s requirements.

Failure on giving improved performance may warrant further action which may lead up to dismissal.

I will closely monitor your performance and assess your progress over the next (specify time frame) to determine if your improvements have been satisfactory. We will sit down again to make my assessment of your progress and we will decide your status in this office. If there are concerns and questions that you may have, please do not hesitate to discuss them with me.

____________
Name of Immediate Superior – Position
Date

My signature acknowledges that I have read and understood this memorandum.

_____________
Name of Employee – Position
Date

Memo Documenting Employee Reprimand

Posted under: Memo by admin

Any organization has policies on different aspects pertaining to office actuations. Part of a newly hired employee’s company orientation is the presentation of company house rules. All companies have policies on absenteeism, tardiness, proper office decorum, among others.

It is a requirement, with Human Resources Department taking the lead, to keep track of every employee’s performance record. This is considered as one of the basis for an employee’s promotion or termination. The immediate superior is tasked to document employee reprimands. As a supervisor, you monitor your subordinate’s performance and there are times that you will need to correct their behavior. Employees are given notification or citation of a wrongdoing. There are offenses that are considered cumulative; first offense – written warning, second offense – 3-day suspension, and so forth. The reprimand must indicate the signatures of both the recipient and the immediate superior.

Here is a sample of a reprimand letter.

SAMPLE LETTER

MEMORANDUM

TO: Name of Employee
Position
FROM: Name of Immediate Superior
Position
DATE:
SUBJECT: Final Warning

In our previous discussion dated (indicate date), we reviewed your attendance records. Please take note that you have been issued a written warning for poor attendance record on (indicate period) and a 3-day suspension on (indicate dates). Since the suspension, you have been absent on the following occasions:

Date Reasons
_____ _________
_____ _________
_____ _________

Once again, you have exceeded the allowable number of absences in a month, warranting this last step before termination. You have been given enough time and opportunity to effect improvements on your attendance.

You are suspended for (indicate number of days) ____ days starting on (indicate date). To avoid any misunderstanding on your part about how serious this matter is, consider this your final warning. If in case you are to miss going to work, you are to notify me directly and you will not be allowed to report back to work without presenting a valid medical certificate. Any further violation of this policy will result to termination.

A copy of this final warning will be placed in your personnel file.

_______________
Name of Immediate Superior – Position
Date

I acknowledge that I have read and understood this memorandum.

______________
Name of Employee – Position
Date

Sometimes, resignation letters are difficult to accept – especially when the employee who submitting the resignation is a valued employee. Behind every resignation is a good reason. So keep in mind to always accept a resignation with a positive attitude. It has to be real and genuine, for he/she will easily feel if you are not being honest. Be compassionate and considerate of their feelings as well. There are several reasons why an employee decides to file for a resignation. Some of the possible reasons are:

  1. Your employee desires for an increase in salary. This may just be an indication that he’s salary does not suffice him anymore.
  2. He is attempting to win a promotion or at least an improvement in his status as an employee.
  3. He could be stressed. It may be stress from work, or may also be from other aspects of the employee’s private life.
  4. He is dealing with some health issues. He thinks that he will not be as productive as he was if he continued his job.

Whatever the reason, receive and accept the resignation graciously. It is advisable to send your letter through post mail. Better yet, give it to the employee personally. But remember that the human resources department should approve your letter first. Below is an example of a letter on how to accept a resignation.

SAMPLE ACCEPTANCE LETTER

May 28, 2010

Molly Burke
Brown Street Boulevard
San Antonio, California 4038

Dear Ms. Burke,

Good day! In behalf of the Brent Company, I am writing to acknowledge your letter of resignation. Your resignation from the position of Assistant Manager of the Planning Department effective from July 1, 2010 is accepted.

Your contract of employment states that you will work until June 25, 2010. For the separation details, we are giving you a severance pay equivalent to three months salary. We will also be extending your other health and medical privileges for six months.

In behalf of the Brent Company, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the effort and contribution that you have given to the company. You are truly one of the most loyal and excellent employees we have.

Until then, we wish you well in all of your endeavors. Thank you very much and have a good day.

Yours sincerely,

John Brent
Executive Director

cc: Human Resources
Brent Company Human Resources

Writing a letter of disagreement can be hard because such a letter sometimes results in a negative outcome. But writing a letter to disagree with a subordinate, or superior, or a person in authority can be the best way to express concern over something that the person you’re writing to has done. It is expressing your concern or opinion in a constructive, but assertive way. You write such a letter to recognize and state a problem while explaining what you want the recipient to do about it.

Letters of disagreement can be a perfect tool to correct a misunderstanding. An effective letter of disagreement clearly states the issues and reasons for disagreeing with the recipient’s point of view, as well as your proposed course of action. It is not, however, a medium to hurl accusations. The main purpose of writing such letter is to resolve a conflict or problem. The tone of this letter should still be courteous, and the format should be clear, concise and direct. Please be reminded to avoid threatening the recipient. Be direct, yet respectful.

Below is a sample of a letter of disagreement:

SAMPLE LETTER

June 11, 2010

Julienne Rogers
213 Anyplace Lane
Austin, TX 78750

Abby Campton
Business Development Manager
Project Management Department
Wrightway Systems
1810 Kramer Lane
Suite C-201
Austin, TX 78758

Dear Ms. Abby Campton,

First of all, I would like to say how much I admire you for being a good Business Manager, but I must disagree with the direction we are taking with the AT&T account. I have been doing a lot of research about the company and what their requirements are for this particular project. I can say that the way we are looking at handling this particular project will not meet the client’s needs. The work that has been outlined will both be a waste of time and money, since it is not what the client requires.

I just feel I have to put this into writing, but I would be willing to meet with you at your most convenient time to go through the aspects of the project to explain my position.

Being the excellent manager that you are, I am positive that you will welcome what I have to say and act appropriately.

Thank you for time.

Respectfully yours,

Julienne Rogers

The letter applying for temporary or permanent employment in a foreign country is a correspondence that seeks to facilitate a legal way of carrying on gainful employment. Most work positions abroad require individuals with a related degree. Non-citizens of the host country, though, usually end up taking on jobs outside their professional fields. Whichever the situation, a person seeking to find work in a foreign country needs to write a good letter of application for temporary or permanent employment.

Most countries pay keen attention to the resume, so make sure yours is completely updated and lists good character and work references. Notable work accomplishments must be highlighted, and use positive language throughout the application letter. Don’t overlook your academic background and include the acquired skills that your potential employer may find desirable for the available post within the company. It will also be wise to conduct some online research on the specific company you are interested to work for.

A simple but professionally written cover letter is ideal. Delete phrases that have been done to death and which are obvious, like “I wish to gain international exposure.” Incorporate, instead, country- and company-specific arguments, such as “high economic growth across many industries” or something to that effect in pertaining to the company or industry you are considering to be a part of. Here is a sample letter applying for temporary (contractual) employment in a foreign country:

Sample Application Letter

May 28, 2010

THE HUMAN RESOURCES & ADMINISTRATION HEAD
Inara Lightings, Ltd.
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to explore the possibility of employment as Document Controller in your reputable firm. I am a Computer Science graduate of the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. I bring with me several years of experience as information systems analyst of leading companies that include Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc.

My strong computer skills, knowledge of modern word processing software, and project management tools are but some of the things that make me an asset to your company.

Attached is my resume for your perusal. Should you require any further information, I can be reached at 632-555-1234 (during regular business hours), or at 632-555-6789 (during regular business hours).

Sincerely,
(signed)
ANGELA TANAMA