Employment Offer Letter - Tennessee

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Company Header
2. Candidate Information
3. Position Details
4. Compensation
5. Benefits Summary
6. At-Will Employment Disclaimer
7. Reporting Structure & Work Location
8. Contingencies
9. Tennessee-Specific Requirements
10. Confidentiality & Intellectual Property
11. Acceptance & Signature Block
12. Tennessee State Notes

EMPLOYMENT OFFER LETTER — TENNESSEE

1. COMPANY HEADER

[COMPANY NAME]
[COMPANY ADDRESS]
[CITY], Tennessee [ZIP CODE]
Phone: [PHONE NUMBER] | Email: [EMAIL ADDRESS]

Date: [__/__/____]

2. CANDIDATE INFORMATION

To:
[CANDIDATE FULL NAME]
[CANDIDATE ADDRESS]
[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP CODE]

Re: Offer of Employment

Dear [CANDIDATE FIRST NAME],

We are pleased to extend this offer of employment with [COMPANY NAME] (the "Company"). This letter sets forth the terms and conditions of your employment, subject to the contingencies described herein.

3. POSITION DETAILS

4. COMPENSATION

4.1 Base Compensation

☐ Annual Salary: $[________________________________] per year, paid on a [☐ monthly ☐ semi-monthly ☐ bi-weekly ☐ weekly] basis.

☐ Hourly Rate: $[________________________________] per hour.

4.2 Overtime

Non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime pay at 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek, consistent with the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. § 207).

4.3 Bonus / Commission Structure

☐ Signing Bonus: $[________________________________], subject to the following terms: [________________________________]

☐ Performance Bonus: [________________________________]

☐ Commission Plan: [________________________________]

☐ Not Applicable

5. BENEFITS SUMMARY

You will be eligible for the following benefits, subject to plan terms and applicable waiting periods:

6. AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT DISCLAIMER

IMPORTANT — PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

Your employment with [COMPANY NAME] is "at-will." This means that either you or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, and with or without advance notice. Tennessee follows the at-will employment doctrine as established by common law.

No manager, supervisor, or representative of the Company, other than [AUTHORIZED OFFICER TITLE], has the authority to enter into any agreement for employment for any specified period of time or to make any agreement contrary to the foregoing by written agreement signed by [AUTHORIZED OFFICER TITLE].

This offer letter and any employee handbook provisions are not to be considered an employment contract and do not alter the at-will nature of your employment.

Recognized Exception: Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-304 prohibits termination solely for refusing to participate in or remain silent about qualifying illegal activities. Other statutory or common-law exceptions require separate current-law review.

7. REPORTING STRUCTURE & WORK LOCATION

8. CONTINGENCIES

This offer is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of the following:

☐ Background Check — [________________________________]

☐ Drug Screening — [________________________________]

☐ Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9) — Required within 3 business days of start date per federal law (8 U.S.C. § 1324a)

☐ Proof of Licensure / Certification — [________________________________]

☐ Reference Check — [________________________________]

☐ Other — [________________________________]

9. TENNESSEE-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

9.1 Retaliatory Discharge Protection (Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-304)

Tennessee law prohibits employers from terminating an employee solely for:

• Refusing to participate in qualifying illegal activities
• Refusing to remain silent about qualifying illegal activities

For § 50-1-304 purposes, qualifying “illegal activities” exclude employment-discrimination violations governed by Title 4, Chapter 21, § 8-50-103, or federal employment-discrimination law.

9.2 Anti-Discrimination (Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-21-401 et seq.)

The Company does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, age (40 or older), national origin, or disability, consistent with the Tennessee Human Rights Act. The Act applies to employers with 8 or more employees.

9.3 Wage Payment Requirements (Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-103)

• Wages must be paid at least once per month
• Employers must establish and maintain regular paydays
• Employees must be notified of the time and place of payment

9.4 Qualifying Agricultural-Product Use (Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-304(d))

Section 50-1-304(d) addresses use of an agricultural product not regulated by the alcoholic beverage commission and not otherwise prohibited by law. During work, the use must comply with applicable employer policies; the section separately addresses qualifying use when the employee is not working.

9.5 Workers' Compensation (Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-101 et seq.)

Employers with 5 or more employees are required to carry workers' compensation insurance. The Company shall provide workers' compensation coverage as required by Tennessee law.

9.6 Military Service Protection (Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-33-101 et seq.)

Tennessee law provides additional protections for employees called to military service, including protection from termination due to military obligations.

9.7 Final Paycheck (Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-103(g))

Upon separation of employment (whether by discharge or resignation), earned wages or salary are generally due no later than the next regular payday following separation or twenty-one (21) days after separation, whichever occurs last. For compensation earned on or after July 1, 2026 by an employee employed on a piece-work or commission basis, that compensation is due by the last day of the succeeding month following separation.

• By mail if requested by the employee

9.8 No State Income Tax

Tennessee does not impose a state income tax on wages or salary. Only federal income tax withholding will be deducted from your pay.

10. CONFIDENTIALITY & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

As a condition of employment, you will be required to sign the Company's:

☐ Confidentiality / Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
☐ Invention Assignment Agreement
☐ Proprietary Information Agreement

11. ACCEPTANCE & SIGNATURE BLOCK

Please indicate your acceptance of this offer by signing below and returning this letter by [__/__/____].

Employer

Candidate Acceptance

By signing below, I acknowledge that I have read, understand, and accept the terms of this offer letter, including the at-will employment provisions.

12. TENNESSEE STATE NOTES

This offer letter is governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee. Nothing in this letter creates a contract of employment for a definite period.

[COMPANY NAME]