At a glance
- Use it to: accept a resignation gracefully, confirm the last day, and explain final pay, benefits, and next steps.
- When to send: Within one business day of receiving the resignation.
- Inside: 2 ready-to-edit versions (hr confirmation and manager reply), 5 subject lines, and a printable PDF.
- Compliance: this email touches legal requirements, so read the compliance notes before you send it.
When to use this template
When an employee resigns, the manager's first response should be personal, usually a conversation. HR's follow-up email then confirms the details in writing: the last day, final pay, what happens to benefits, equipment return, and the exit interview. It should be warm and professional, because how people leave shapes what they say about you and whether they come back.
Confirm the last day in writing promptly, since disagreements about it cause problems with final pay and unemployment claims. Our employee offboarding guide has the full checklist, and the exit interview invitation and equipment return request cover the next steps.
Used often inHospitality and restaurants
The email templates
Copy either version, replace everything in [brackets], and read it once out loud before you send it. If it doesn't sound like you, change it.
HR confirmation
Hi [Employee first name], Thank you for letting us know about your decision to leave [Company]. We are sorry to see you go, and we appreciate everything you have contributed as [Job title]. This confirms that your last day of work will be [Date]. What happens next: - Final pay: your final paycheck, including [any accrued, unused vacation if paid out under our policy or state law], will be paid on [Date] by [direct deposit or check]. - Benefits: your health coverage ends on [Date]. You will receive information about continuing coverage through COBRA [or state continuation] by mail. - 401(k): your account stays with you. [Plan administrator] will send information about your options. - Equipment: please return [laptop, badge, keys] by your last day. We will send instructions. - Exit interview: [Name] will reach out to schedule a short conversation. We value honest feedback. If you have questions, I'm here: [Phone and email]. We wish you the very best. [HR contact name] [Title], [Company]
Manager reply
Hi [Employee first name], Thank you for telling me, and for the notice. I'm sorry to lose you, and I'm genuinely happy for you about [the new role, if shared]. I accept your resignation with [Date] as your last day. Over the next [Time], let's work on a handoff plan for [Key work]. I will set up time tomorrow to start. It has been a pleasure working with you. [Manager name]
Subject lines to try
The subject line decides whether the email is opened today or next week. Keep it specific and short enough to read on a phone.
- Confirming your last day: [Date]
- Re: my resignation
- Next steps before your last day
- Your final pay and benefits information
- Thank you, [Employee first name]
How to personalize it
- Confirm the last day in writing within a day.
- Spell out final pay timing and what's included.
- Explain when benefits end and how COBRA works.
- Thank the employee for specific contributions.
Mistakes to avoid
- Pressuring the employee to stay through guilt.
- Ending employment immediately in a way that changes it from a resignation to a termination without thinking it through.
- Withholding final pay until equipment is returned.
- Badmouthing the employee to the team.
Legal and compliance notes
Final paycheck deadlines vary by state. California requires payment within 72 hours if the employee quits without notice, and on the last day if they gave at least 72 hours of notice. Several states, including California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Montana, require payout of earned, unused vacation. Group health plans covered by COBRA, which applies to employers with 20 or more employees, must offer continuation coverage, and many states have mini-COBRA laws for smaller employers.
This is general information for US employers, not legal advice. Laws change and vary by state and city, so confirm the current rules or talk to employment counsel before you rely on them.
When to send it
Within one business day of receiving the resignation. If you decide to end employment before the notice period is over, talk to HR first, since some states treat that as a termination for pay and unemployment purposes.
Before you hit send
Run through this quick check. It takes a minute and catches most of the mistakes that cause follow-up emails.
- Final pay timing meets the deadline for the employee's state.
- COBRA or state continuation and unemployment information are included where required.
- IT access removal is timed with the conversation, not before it.
- Nothing in the message explains or argues the reasons for an involuntary departure.
- The departing employee knows who to contact after their last day.
Where to go from here
Templates fix one email. The right process and software fix the whole workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to accept a resignation?
Should we pay out the notice period if we let the employee go early?
When is the final paycheck due?
Written by the HRTally Research Team
Our guides are written and reviewed by people with hands-on US HR, payroll, and HR technology experience. Legal and tax facts are checked against primary sources, such as the Department of Labor, IRS, EEOC, and USCIS, and linked at the end of each guide. Vendors never review or pay for our editorial content.