Six free employee application form templates for small business: a standard application, a simple one-page version, a ban-the-box-safe version, restaurant and construction versions, and a reference and background-check consent addendum. EEO statement and compliance notes built in. Fill-in-the-blank DOCX. No signup.
An employee application form is the standardized document you hand to candidates to collect the same information about everyone who applies: contact details, work authorization, availability, employment history, skills, and references, closed with a signed certification. For a small business it does two jobs at once. It lets you compare applicants fairly on the same fields instead of squinting at resumes that each present things differently, and, when built correctly, it keeps you clear of the questions that create legal risk, which is where generic template forms tend to fall short.
There are six templates here, one for each real situation: a standard full application, a simple one-page version, a ban-the-box-safe version, restaurant and construction versions with the fields those roles actually need, and a separate reference and background-check consent addendum. Each downloads as an editable Word document, free and without an email, with an EEO statement and US compliance notes built in. Because hiring runs into onboarding, this pairs with your interview evaluation form and the offer letter that follows.
TL;DR
An employee application form is a standardized document employers give candidates to collect consistent information: contact, work authorization, availability, employment history, skills, and references, with a signed certification. Download six free templates as DOCX: standard, simple, ban-the-box-safe, restaurant, construction, and a consent addendum. The compliance points that matter most: leave criminal-history questions off the initial form in fair-chance jurisdictions, avoid salary-history questions where banned, and keep applications for at least one year. This is general information, not legal advice.
What an Employment Application Is
An employment application is a standardized form an employer gives to candidates to collect consistent information about them and their background, including contact details, work authorization, availability, education, employment history, skills, and references, ending with a signed certification that the information is true.
Its value is standardization and protection: it lets you compare every candidate on the same fields, and it captures a signed record with an EEO statement and correct legal language. It is an employer-side document, distinct from a resume, and it sits alongside your small-business hiring process and the job offer that comes after a decision.
What You Leave Off Matters as Much as What You Ask
The riskiest part of a job application is the questions it should not contain. Under many state and city fair-chance laws, you cannot ask about criminal history on the initial application, and salary-history bans and anti-discrimination law rule out other questions. The templates here are built to a safe default: no conviction question, no salary history, and nothing about protected characteristics. Confirm your state and local rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
Which Template Should You Use?
Match the form to how you hire. Most roles: the standard application. High-volume or hourly hiring: the simple one-page. Anywhere fair-chance rules apply: the ban-the-box-safe version. Shift-based food service: the restaurant version. Physical and skilled trades: the construction version. And after an interview or offer: the consent addendum.
Standard Employment Application
The default
The complete form with every standard section: personal information, position and availability, education, employment history, skills, references, and an applicant certification, plus a built-in EEO statement. The right starting point for most small businesses.
Simple One-Page
Short and fast
A stripped-down single-page form for high-volume or hourly hiring, with just the essentials: contact, work authorization, availability, recent experience, one reference, and a certification. For when a full form is more than you need.
Ban-the-Box-Safe
Fair-chance version
A version that deliberately omits any criminal-history question, with a note that background checks come later in the process. Built for the many states and cities that bar conviction questions on the initial application.
Restaurant / Hospitality
Shift-based roles
Tailored for servers, cooks, and front-of-house roles, with a full weekly shift-availability grid, a food-handler and alcohol-service certification field, and a minor-employment prompt. Availability is the field that actually matters here.
Construction / Warehouse
Physical and skilled
For laborers, warehouse, and trades, with license and certification checkboxes (CDL, forklift, OSHA 10/30) and an essential-functions physical-requirements acknowledgment framed correctly around the ADA and reasonable accommodation.
Reference & Consent Addendum
Used later in the process
A separate reference-authorization and FCRA background-check-consent add-on, meant to be used after an interview or conditional offer rather than on the application itself, so the main form stays fair-chance compliant.
When Unsure, Use the Ban-the-Box-Safe Default
If you hire across multiple states, or are not sure which fair-chance rules apply to you, use the ban-the-box-safe version, or simply keep any criminal-history question off whichever template you choose. A form with no conviction question works everywhere, while one that asks can be unlawful in many places. Add the background-check consent as a separate step later in the process. This keeps your initial application compliant across jurisdictions with no downside. This is general information, not legal advice.
6 Free Employee Application Form Templates
Download all six together or grab individual forms. The standard and simple versions cover most hiring, the ban-the-box-safe version handles fair-chance jurisdictions, the restaurant and construction versions add the role-specific fields those industries need, and the consent addendum is used later in the process. Fill in your company name, keep the EEO statement, and adjust the fields to your roles.
Download All 6 Application Form Templates
A standard, simple one-page, ban-the-box-safe, restaurant, and construction application, plus a reference and background-check consent addendum. All as DOCX files in one download.
Template 1: Standard Employment Application
The complete form with every standard section: personal information, position and availability, education, employment history, skills, references, and an applicant certification, plus a built-in EEO statement. The right starting point for most small businesses.
Standard Employment Application
EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
We are an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants without
regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability,
genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Position applied for: [Title]
Date of application: [Date]
1. PERSONAL INFORMATION
Full name: __
Address: __
City, State, ZIP: __
Phone: __
Email: __
Are you legally authorized to work in the United States? [ ] Yes [ ] No
Are you at least 18 years old? [ ] Yes [ ] No (if no, a work permit may be required)
I certify that the information in this application is true and complete to the
best of my knowledge. I understand that false or misleading information may
result in denial of employment or termination. I understand that this
application is not an offer of employment, and that if hired, my employment
will be at-will unless a written agreement states otherwise.
Signature: __ Date: ___
DISCLAIMER: This is a sample template for general information only and is not
legal advice. Employment laws vary by state and city, including rules on
criminal-history and salary-history questions. Confirm your state and local
requirements, and consider counsel review, before use.
Template 2: Simple One-Page Application
A stripped-down single-page form for high-volume or hourly hiring, with just the essentials: contact, work authorization, availability, recent experience, one reference, and a certification.
Simple One-Page Application
JOB APPLICATION
[Company Name]
We are an equal opportunity employer.
Position applied for: [Title] Date: [Date]
APPLICANT
Name: __
Phone: __ Email: __
Authorized to work in the US? [ ] Yes [ ] No
AVAILABILITY
Full-time or part-time: __
Start date: ___ Days / hours available: __
EXPERIENCE
Most recent job and employer: __
Dates: __
Relevant skills: __
REFERENCE
Name: __ Phone: __
CERTIFICATION
I certify the above is true. I understand this is not an offer of employment.
Signature: __ Date: ___
DISCLAIMER: This is a sample template for general information only and is not
legal advice. Confirm your state and local requirements before use.
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A version that deliberately omits any criminal-history question, with a note that background checks come later in the process. Built for the many states and cities that bar conviction questions on the initial application.
Ban-the-Box-Safe Application
EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION (FAIR-CHANCE VERSION)
[Company Name]
We are an equal opportunity employer and follow fair-chance hiring practices.
This application does not ask about criminal history. Where a background check
is used, it is conducted later in the hiring process and in accordance with
applicable law.
Position applied for: [Title] Date: [Date]
1. PERSONAL INFORMATION
Full name: __
Address: __
Phone: __ Email: __
Authorized to work in the United States? [ ] Yes [ ] No
2. POSITION AND AVAILABILITY
Position: [Title]
Type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time [ ] Seasonal
Start date: ___ Days / hours available: __
3. EDUCATION
School / degree: __
Field of study: __
4. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Most recent employer: __
Title and dates: __
May we contact this employer? [ ] Yes [ ] No
5. SKILLS AND REFERENCES
Relevant skills, licenses, certifications: __
Reference name and contact: __
6. NOTE ON BACKGROUND CHECKS
We do not ask about arrests or convictions on this application. If a background
check is part of the process for this role, we will inform you and obtain your
written consent first, and we will follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act and any
applicable state and local fair-chance rules, including an individualized review
before any decision based on a record.
7. CERTIFICATION
I certify the information above is true and complete. I understand this is not
an offer of employment and that employment, if offered, is at-will unless a
written agreement states otherwise.
Signature: __ Date: ___
DISCLAIMER: This is a sample template for general information only and is not
legal advice. Fair-chance and salary-history rules vary widely by state and
city. Confirm your local requirements and consider counsel review before use.
Template 4: Restaurant / Hospitality Application
Tailored for servers, cooks, and front-of-house roles, with a full weekly shift-availability grid, a food-handler and alcohol-service certification field, and a minor-employment prompt. Availability is the field that matters most here.
Restaurant / Hospitality Application
RESTAURANT EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION
[Restaurant Name]
We are an equal opportunity employer.
Position applied for: [ ] Server [ ] Host [ ] Line cook [ ] Prep [ ] Dishwasher [ ] Bartender [ ] Busser [ ] Other: ___
Date: [Date]
1. APPLICANT
Name: __
Phone: __ Email: __
Authorized to work in the US? [ ] Yes [ ] No
Are you at least 18? [ ] Yes [ ] No (a work permit may be required for minors)
2. AVAILABILITY (KEY FOR SCHEDULING)
Full-time or part-time: __
Date available to start: ___
Mark the shifts you can work:
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Afternoon [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Evening [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Late night [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Can you work weekends and holidays? [ ] Yes [ ] No
3. EXPERIENCE AND CERTIFICATIONS
Relevant restaurant experience: __
Food handler card or alcohol-service certification (if any): __
(Note: some roles and states require a food handler or responsible-beverage-service certificate.)
4. EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Most recent employer, title, and dates: __
May we contact this employer? [ ] Yes [ ] No
5. REFERENCE AND CERTIFICATION
Reference name and phone: __
I certify the above is true. I understand this is not an offer of employment.
Signature: __ Date: ___
DISCLAIMER: This is a sample template for general information only and is not
legal advice. Confirm your state's rules on minor employment, tip credit, and
certification, and your local fair-chance and scheduling laws, before use.
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For laborers, warehouse, and trades, with license and certification checkboxes and an essential-functions physical-requirements acknowledgment framed correctly around the ADA and reasonable accommodation.
A separate reference-authorization and FCRA background-check-consent add-on, meant to be used after an interview or conditional offer rather than on the application itself, so the main form stays fair-chance compliant.
Reference & Background-Check Consent Addendum
BACKGROUND CHECK AND REFERENCE CONSENT
[Company Name]
This is an optional add-on used later in the hiring process, typically after an
interview or a conditional offer, not as part of the initial application. Using
it separately helps keep your application fair-chance compliant.
1. APPLICANT
Name: __
Position applied for: __
Date: [Date]
2. REFERENCE AUTHORIZATION
I authorize [Company Name] to contact the references and past employers listed
in my application, and I authorize those parties to provide information about my
work history and performance.
3. BACKGROUND CHECK CONSENT (IF APPLICABLE)
I understand that [Company Name] may obtain a consumer report or background
check as part of the hiring process. I have received a clear and conspicuous
written disclosure that a report may be obtained, and I authorize [Company Name]
to obtain it. I understand my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act,
including the right to be notified and to dispute inaccurate information before
any adverse decision is finalized.
[Note to employer: FCRA requires a stand-alone disclosure and authorization,
and a specific adverse-action process. Provide the required documents and follow
the FCRA and your state and local rules.]
4. SIGNATURE
Applicant signature: __ Date: ___
DISCLAIMER: This is a sample template for general information only and is not
legal advice. Background checks are heavily regulated under the FCRA and state
and local fair-chance laws. Confirm your obligations and consider counsel review
before use.
What Every Application Includes
A complete application covers four groups: applicant details, experience, qualifications, and a legal footer. The groups below are the consensus set that strong application forms share.
Applicant details
Name and contact information
Work authorization question
Position applied for and date
Experience
Employment history and dates
Reason for leaving
Permission to contact employers
Qualifications
Education and degrees
Skills, licenses, certifications
Availability and desired pay
Legal footer
EEO statement
At-will and certification language
Signature and date
The two elements small businesses most often get wrong are the legal footer and the questions left off. The footer, the EEO statement plus the at-will certification, protects the business; the omissions, no conviction or salary-history question, keep the form compliant. Every template here includes the footer and holds to the safe omissions.
How to Create Your Application Form
Building an application form from a template takes minutes. Here is the sequence the templates are built around.
1
Pick the version
Choose standard, simple, ban-the-box-safe, restaurant, or construction based on the role, then open that template.
2
Add branding and the EEO statement
Put your company name at the top and keep the equal-opportunity statement so candidates see you hire without regard to protected characteristics.
3
Keep only job-related fields
Ask about contact, work authorization, availability, experience, and skills, and leave off anything protected, or banned like conviction and salary history.
4
Separate the consent step
Use the reference and background-check consent addendum later in the process, after an interview or offer, not on the application itself.
5
Apply it evenly and store it
Give the same form to every candidate for a fair comparison, then keep completed applications for at least the one-year retention period.
Questions You Can and Cannot Ask
The compliance side of a job application is where a small business is most exposed, and it is mostly about what you do not ask. Four rules shape a safe application form, and the templates are built around all four.
Ban-the-box: often no conviction question
Many states and cities have fair-chance, or ban-the-box, laws that remove criminal-history questions from the initial job application and delay any background check until later in the process. Per the National Employment Law Project, 37 states, the District of Columbia, and over 150 cities and counties have adopted a fair-chance policy, and fifteen states have mandated removing conviction-history questions from applications for private employers. Because the safest default works everywhere, the templates here do not ask about convictions on the application, and the fair-chance version makes that explicit. This is general information, not legal advice.
Illegal questions to avoid
A job application should not ask about characteristics protected under federal, state, or local law, or about things that reveal them indirectly. Avoid questions about age or date of birth (beyond confirming the applicant meets a legal minimum), race, religion, national origin, citizenship status beyond work authorization, marital or family status, pregnancy, disability, or genetic information. Ask only what relates to the ability to do the job. A clear EEO statement at the top signals you hire without regard to protected characteristics. This is general information, not legal advice.
Salary-history bans
A growing number of states and cities prohibit asking applicants about their salary history, and some now require employers to disclose a pay range instead. Rather than ask what someone earned before, ask their desired pay, and be ready to share the range for the role where local law requires it, such as Illinois pay-transparency rules for employers with 15 or more employees. The templates ask for desired pay, not pay history, to stay on the safe side. This is general information, not legal advice.
Keep applications for at least a year
Under EEOC recordkeeping rules in 29 CFR 1602.14, employers subject to Title VII, generally those with 15 or more employees, must keep job applications and other hiring records for at least one year from the date the record was made or the hiring decision, whichever is later. This applies to applications from people you did not hire, not just those you did. If a discrimination charge is filed, the related records must be kept until the matter is fully resolved. Store every application, hired or not, for at least a year. This is general information, not legal advice.
Fair-Chance Hiring Is Widespread
Per the National Employment Law Project, 37 states, the District of Columbia, and over 150 cities and counties have adopted a fair-chance policy, and fifteen states mandate removing conviction-history questions from applications for private employers (NELP). Keeping the question off the application entirely is the safe default these templates use. This is general information, not legal advice.
For the legal mechanics of running a check, the FCRA guide walks through disclosure and consent. Confirm application-record retention in the EEOC recordkeeping summary.
Application vs Resume
An application form and a resume are not the same thing, and knowing the difference is why most employers use both. A resume is written by the candidate in their own format to present their background as they choose. An application form is provided by the employer so every candidate supplies the same information in the same structure, with a signed certification that it is true.
Application form
Resume
Created by
The employer
The candidate
Format
Standardized, same for everyone
Different for every candidate
Comparability
Easy, field by field
Hard, formats vary
Signed certification
Yes, applicant attests it is true
No
Best use
Consistent, signed record for comparison
Judging self-presentation and relevance
Because they do different jobs, most employers ask for both, using the resume for context and the application as the consistent, signed record that supports fair comparison and recordkeeping. The application is what you keep on file for at least the retention period.
Collect, Screen, and Store
A downloaded form is the starting point, and these templates work on their own. The strain shows up when applications arrive on paper and in email and get compared inconsistently, when the background-check consent was never captured separately, and when applications from people you did not hire are thrown out before the one-year mark.
Pick and brand the form
Choose the version that fits the role, add your company name and EEO statement, and adjust the fields to your hiring process.
Collect applications
Hand out the form or share it, and gather completed applications from every candidate in a consistent format for fair comparison.
Screen and add consent later
Compare applicants on the same fields, then use the reference and background-check consent addendum after an interview or offer.
Store for the retention period
Keep every application, hired or not, in a retrievable place for at least the one-year EEOC recordkeeping window.
When that point arrives, FirstHR keeps applications and hiring documents against each candidate and role, captures signatures such as the reference and background-check consent with e-signature, and stores every application, hired or not, in one retrievable place for the retention period, alongside the new-hire paperwork that follows a hire. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a law firm: it does not decide which questions your state allows, run your background checks, or provide legal advice, so it standardizes and stores the application while you confirm the compliance calls with a qualified professional. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
An employee application form is a standardized document employers give candidates to collect consistent, comparable information with a signed certification.
Include contact, work authorization, availability, employment history, skills, references, an EEO statement, and an at-will certification.
Leave criminal-history questions off the initial application in fair-chance jurisdictions; 37 states, DC, and 150-plus localities have such policies.
Avoid salary-history questions where banned, and ask for desired pay instead; some states also require disclosing a pay range.
Keep job applications, hired or not, for at least one year under EEOC recordkeeping rules, and longer if a charge is filed.
Use the background-check and reference consent as a separate step later in the process, not on the application. This is general information, not legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an employee application form?
An employee application form, also called an employment application or a job application form, is a standardized document an employer gives to candidates to collect consistent information about them and their background. It typically asks for contact details, the position applied for, work authorization, availability, education, employment history, skills and certifications, and references, and it ends with a signed certification that the information is true. Its purpose is to standardize what you learn about every candidate so you can compare applicants fairly on the same fields, rather than relying on resumes that each present information differently. It is an employer-side tool, distinct from a resume, which the candidate writes. A well-built application also protects the business: it captures a signed certification, includes an EEO statement, and avoids questions that could create legal risk. This is general information, not legal advice.
How do I create a job application form for my business?
Start from a template rather than writing one from scratch. Choose the version that fits your hiring, standard, simple, ban-the-box-safe, or an industry version, then add your company name and an equal-opportunity statement at the top. Keep the fields to what relates to the job: contact information, work authorization, availability, education, employment history, skills, and references, plus a signed certification. Deliberately leave out questions you should not ask, such as anything about criminal history on the initial form, salary history where it is banned, or characteristics protected by law like age, race, religion, or family status. Add a background-check and reference consent as a separate document used later in the process. Then apply the same form to every candidate so comparisons are fair, and store completed applications for at least a year. The templates here give you all of this to fill in. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should an employment application include?
A complete employment application includes applicant contact information, the position applied for, a work-authorization question, availability and desired pay, education, employment history with dates and permission to contact past employers, skills and certifications, references, and a signed applicant certification. At the top it should carry an equal-opportunity statement, and the certification at the bottom should confirm the information is true and note that the application is not an offer and that employment is at-will unless a written agreement says otherwise. What it should leave out is as important as what it includes: no criminal-history question on the initial form in fair-chance jurisdictions, no salary-history question where banned, and nothing about protected characteristics. The templates on this page include the right sections and the correct legal footer, so you fill in your specifics. This is general information, not legal advice.
What questions are illegal to ask on a job application?
You should not ask about characteristics protected under federal, state, or local law, or about things that reveal them indirectly. That means avoiding questions about age or date of birth beyond confirming the applicant meets a legal minimum age, race or color, religion, national origin or ancestry, citizenship beyond confirming work authorization, marital or family status, pregnancy or plans to have children, disability or medical history, and genetic information. In many states and cities you also cannot ask about criminal history on the initial application under ban-the-box laws, or about salary history under salary-history bans. The safe principle is to ask only what relates directly to the ability to perform the job, and to include an EEO statement showing you evaluate candidates without regard to protected characteristics. Because state and local rules vary and change, confirm your specific requirements. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is ban-the-box and does it affect my application form?
Ban-the-box, also called fair-chance hiring, refers to laws that remove the criminal-history checkbox from job applications and delay any background check until later in the hiring process, so candidates are judged first on their qualifications. It very likely affects your form. According to the National Employment Law Project, 37 states, the District of Columbia, and over 150 cities and counties have adopted a fair-chance policy, and fifteen states have mandated removing conviction-history questions from applications for private employers. Because the rules vary and a compliant default works everywhere, the safest practice is to leave any conviction question off the initial application entirely, which is exactly what the templates here do. If a background check is appropriate for a role, run it later with proper disclosure and consent under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and applicable state law. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can I ask about salary history on a job application?
In a growing number of states and cities, no. Salary-history bans prohibit employers from asking applicants what they earned in previous jobs, on the theory that basing pay on prior salary perpetuates existing pay gaps. Some jurisdictions go further and require employers to disclose a pay range for the role instead, such as Illinois pay-transparency rules that apply to employers with 15 or more employees. Because the map of these laws is uneven and changing, the safest approach, and the one the templates here use, is to ask for the applicant's desired pay rather than their salary history, and to be prepared to share the pay range for the position where local law requires it. Confirm the rules in the states and cities where you hire before finalizing your form. This is general information, not legal advice.
How long do I need to keep job applications?
Under EEOC recordkeeping rules in 29 CFR 1602.14, employers covered by Title VII, generally those with 15 or more employees, must keep job applications and other hiring records for at least one year from the date the record was made or the hiring decision was taken, whichever is later. Importantly, this covers applications from candidates you did not hire, not just those you did, because those records may be relevant if a rejected applicant files a discrimination charge. If any charge or lawsuit is filed, you must keep every related record until the matter is fully and finally resolved, even if that runs well past a year. As a practical rule, store every completed application, hired or not, in a retrievable place for at least one year, and longer if a claim is involved. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a job application and a resume?
A resume is a document the candidate creates to present their own background in their own format, while a job application is a standardized form the employer provides so every candidate supplies the same information in the same structure. The two serve different purposes and work best together. A resume shows how a candidate chooses to present themselves and is useful for judging communication and relevance, but because each one is formatted differently, resumes are hard to compare side by side and can omit inconvenient details. An application form fills that gap: it asks every candidate the same questions, captures employment dates and reasons for leaving, requires permission to contact past employers, and ends with a signed certification that the information is true, which a resume does not provide. Most employers ask for both, using the application as the consistent, signed record. This is general information, not legal advice.
