form template · Free download
Employment Application Form
A job application form with lawful work-authorization wording, a work history table and attestation, plus the questions many states forbid you to ask.
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What you get
- A complete application: applicant details, position and availability, work authorization, education, employment history and references
- Work-authorization and sponsorship questions worded to avoid citizenship and national-origin discrimination
- An applicant attestation and at-will statement ready to adapt
- A compliance section covering questions to leave off, salary-history bans, fair-chance (ban-the-box) laws and EEO self-identification
- Guidance on what belongs on separate forms: background-check consent, EEO self-ID and post-offer paperwork
Template preview
A preview of the structure. Download the PDF or CSV for the complete, ready-to-use version.
1. Applicant information
- Full legal name (last, first, middle)
- Preferred name
- Street address, city, state, ZIP
- Phone number and best time to call
2. Position and availability
- Position applied for
- Requisition or job posting number
- Type of employment sought— full-time / part-time / seasonal / temporary
- Date available to start
3. Work authorization
- Are you legally authorized to work in the United States?— Yes / No
- Will you now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g. H-1B)?— Yes / No
- Are you at least 18 years old?— Yes / No — if no, you may need a work permit where state law requires one
- Can you perform the essential functions of this job, with or without reasonable accommodation?— Yes / No — see the attached job description
4. Employment history
List your most recent positions first, covering at least the past 7 years. Include unpaid, volunteer or military roles if relevant.
| Employer, city and state | Job title and main duties | Dates (month/year from–to) | Reason for leaving | May we contact? (Y/N) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example: Brightline Logistics, Columbus OH | Shift lead — supervised 8 pickers, ran daily safety huddles | 03/2021–present | Seeking a supervisor role | N (current employer) |
5. Education and training
Graduation dates are not requested.
| School or program | City and state | Degree, diploma or certificate | Field of study | Completed? (Y/N) |
|---|
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How to use this template
- 1
Check the form against every location you hire in
Remove any question barred where the job is located, such as salary history or criminal history, before the form goes live.
- 2
Keep it job-related
Only ask for information you will use to decide who moves forward. A driver's license question belongs only on roles that involve driving.
- 3
Collect sensitive information separately
Send background-check consent as a standalone document, gather EEO self-identification on a separate voluntary form, and collect I-9, tax and emergency-contact details only after hire.
- 4
Store applications securely and keep them
Federal rules generally require keeping application records for at least one year (longer for federal contractors and in some states), even for applicants you did not hire.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal to ask about citizenship on a job application?
Generally no. Asking about citizenship or national origin can violate Title VII and the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Ask whether the applicant is legally authorized to work in the United States and whether they will need visa sponsorship, then verify identity and work eligibility on Form I-9 after hire.
Can I ask about criminal history on an employment application?
It depends on where you hire. Many states and cities have fair-chance (ban-the-box) laws that remove criminal-history questions from the initial application, and several allow the question only after a conditional offer. Where it is allowed, ask about convictions only, never arrests, and assess them individually against the job.
Can I ask applicants for their salary history?
Many states and cities ban it, including California, New York, Massachusetts and Illinois. Asking about pay expectations for the role is allowed almost everywhere and is more useful anyway, because it tells you whether your range works.
Should the background-check authorization be part of the application?
No. The FCRA requires the background-check disclosure to be a standalone document. Employers that bundled it into application forms have faced class actions, so send it separately at the stage your local rules allow.
Do I need applicants to fill out a form if they already sent a resume?
A standard application gives you consistent information from every candidate, plus a signed attestation and at-will acknowledgment that a resume does not. Many employers ask for the application only from candidates who pass the first screen, which keeps applicant drop-off low.
How long do I have to keep employment applications?
Federal EEOC rules generally require keeping applications and hiring records for one year from the hiring decision, and many federal contractors must keep them for two years. If a discrimination charge or lawsuit is filed, keep all related records until it is fully resolved. Some states set longer periods.