Employee Transfer Letter

Suitable For: USA (for all 51 states)
Downloads: 670
Last Updated: November 25, 2025
Time to Complete: 1 min.
Available formats: PDF and Word

This employee transfer letter is a simple HR document that serves as official evidence of the internal transfer within the organization.

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What is an employee transfer letter?

An employee transfer letter is a formal notice issued by an employer to inform an employee about a change in their department, work location, or job role. This document can be used by any type of business, organization, or startup across the U.S. to notify their employees regarding the upcoming changes.

This company initiated transfer letter template is customizable for various situations, including:

  • permanent or temporary transfer;
  • transfer of the new position, department, or location;
  • an employee’s promotion or demotion;
  • in case of temporary project assignments; or
  • transfer due to employee’s poor performance or negligence, etc.

What should a transfer letter to employee include?

Neither federal nor state laws define the exact employee transfer letter format. At the same time, omission of certain key elements may significantly affect the final document’s clarity and even legal validity. Below we made a short list of tips you can follow to draft your first employee transfer letter from scratch.

Topic of the Letter

It is always better to start any company-initiated transfer letter template with its subject. The wording you use should be direct, simple, and clear.

After that, the text of the document shall define the reason and purpose of such a transfer. Please remember that internal transfers should be backed up by some significant organizational, financial, or managerial changes affecting the business.

Parties’ Details

The text of every employee transfer request letter should include identification details of an employer and employee to whom this letter is being addressed. Do not forget to include:

  • full name and mailing addresses;
  • contact details like email or phone number; and
  • both parties’ signatures (an employer must sign the document to make it legally valid, while an employee must sign it to acknowledge the document’s receipt).

Transfer Details

Depending on the type of transfer, the final document template shall clarify:

  • Employee transfer letter from one department to another—name of the current department and a new department where an employee is transferred.
  • Employee relocation notice letter format—address of a current workplace and the new address.
  • Employee transfer to the new role—name of the old position and the new position.

Apart from that, the letter must state the date on which the transfer becomes effective and, in case of a temporary transfer, the expiration date.

Additional Information

A well-drafted employee transfer letter sample shall also define:

  • full name and contact details of a new supervisor;
  • details of a working schedule;
  • details of the compensation package.

How to customize an employee transfer letter template at FasterDraft?

To get a fully customized legal document template, follow a few easy steps given below:

  1. Click the “Create Document” button.
  2. Answer simple questions in the form.
  3. Select a template’s format—employee transfer letter Word or PDF.
  4. Make a payment.
  5. E-sign, download, print, and use it.

Table of content

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • 1. Is an employee transfer letter legally required?

    Yes, an employee transfer request letter is a mandatory administrative document an employer must issue in advance informing about the upcoming changes. While federal law does not provide an exact notice period, some state laws, like those in California and Colorado, provide minimum notice periods employers have to follow when notifying about the transfer.

  • 2. What details must be included in a transfer letter?

    The exact content of an employee transfer letter template will largely depend on the type of transfer. If, for instance, a transfer is temporary, the start and end date of the transfer should be provided. When, for example, a transfer is between the departments, the name of a new department should be indicated.

    The general key elements that are common for all types of employee transfer letters are the following:

    • employer’s and employee’s identification details;
    • official statement announcing a planned transfer;
    • information regarding if remuneration remains unchanged; and
    • details about the new working schedule and new supervisor or manager.
  • 3. Can a transfer letter include changes to salary or benefits?

    Yes, it is especially common in the case of a transfer letter with a salary change example. Usually the change in an employee’s current remuneration is necessary when an employee is transferred to a new role, promoted to another department, etc.

  • 4. What is the difference between a temporary and permanent transfer?

    In the case of a permanent employee transfer letter, an employee shall occupy the new position or work at the new location on an indefinite basis. Contrary to that, a temporary transfer is an employee’s relocation for a specified period of time. Once the period of time expires, an employee shall be back to their previous position, location, department, or both.

  • 5. Can an employee refuse a transfer?

    No. An employee transfer letter sample is being used in the situation when a business undergoes important organizational or financial changes that require redistribution of employees within the company. If an employee refuses the transfer, an employer should have the right to terminate existing employment relations or to temporary suspend an employee from work.

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