Is a written verification of employment allowed in lieu of the verbal VOE?

If the employer will not verbally verify employment, the lender can obtain a written verification (other than an additional paystub) confirming the borrower’s current employment status within the same time frame as the verbal VOE requirements (within 10 business days prior to the note date for employment income, and within 120 calendar days prior to the note date for self-employment income). The written documentation must include the name and title of the person who completed the verification for the employer.

If the employer uses a third party employment verification vendor, the lender must obtain written verification from the vendor of the borrower’s current employment status within the same time frame as the verbal VOE requirements.

Note: Because third-party vendor databases are typically updated monthly, the verification must evidence that the information in the vendor's database was no more than 35 days old as of the note date.

For additional information, see B3-3.1-07, Verbal Verification of Employment.