Signatures on Verifications
In our continued effort to remove access barriers, the Department has expanded its acceptance of verifications that would ordinarily require a wet signature. If the validity of a verification is questionable, the Department may request additional proof or substantiation of all or a specific element of the verification before it is deemed acceptable.
Important: These procedures are not to be applied to Department forms.
Some verifications will now be considered acceptable even though they may not have a wet signature. Typically, these verifications are from third parties such as landlords, employers, roommates. Please see the table below for examples of verification scenarios and whether or not the verification is acceptable without a signature:
| Type of Document | Signature Required? | Example/Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Unsigned termination letter on company letterhead that includes contact information. | No | Veronica was recently terminated from Walmart. She submits a letter of termination on company letterhead stating the last day worked and the last day paid. The contact information of the Human Resources Department is included in the letter, but the letter is not signed.
This is an acceptable verification as many national and international corporations have central Human Resources Departments that are not required to sign their name on company documents. |
| Typed termination letter, unsigned, with no letterhead but includes company’s contact information. | No | Stephen was recently terminated from Joe’s House of Pizza. He submits a typed letter (not on letterhead) “Stephen’s last day was June 1, 2019 and last pay is $300.00 on June 7, 2019. Any questions call me at 617-555-5555 - Joe Bertino”
This is acceptable although the signature is typed and not a wet signature. The employer provided all information necessary for proof of termination and provided his contact information. |
| Emailed termination letter, unsigned, with no letterhead but includes the company’s contact information, and email is through the company. | No | Benjamin was laid off from Fidelity Investments on June 15, 2019. He provided a screenshot of the email from Human.Resources@fidelity.com that stated Benjamin was laid off on June 15, 2019 and his last day of pay was June 25th, 2019. There is no letterhead or signature, but the Human Resources Department provided their contact information, and the email was sent from an official employer email. This is acceptable. |
| A self-declaration from the client’s phone with a typed signature. | No | Ingrid types on her phone notes “I pay $750 per month in rent – Ingrid Jones,” screenshots it, and uploads it via DTA Connect.
This is acceptable verification of her rent, as it is coming directly from the grantee and she identifies herself in the note. |
| Unsigned employment letter, with letterhead that does not include the company’s contact information, nor the contact information of the writer of the letter. | Yes | Sarah submits a letter from her employer, Betty’s Hair Design that is unsigned, but has company letterhead. The letterhead does not state the company’s contact information and there is no other contact information listed on the letter.
This is not acceptable because the letter is unsigned, and there is no contact information for the employer. A signature or another form of verification is required. |
The absence of a wet signature is not questionable or contradictory in and of itself. If the verification seems questionable (i.e. the company letterhead appears forged, the email address seems unprofessional and no contact information is provided), you must request additional verification and can submit a fraud referral if necessary.
If you have any questions regarding an unsigned verification, and the verification does not fit within the examples provided, please email the Procedural Mailbox for further clarification.
Last Update: July 11, 2019