Rejection Letter & Recruitment Feedback – HR, Reference Request & Excel | Word/PDF

Rejection notices and recruitment feedback – a ready-made template package for private employers in Sweden. Document and communicate selection decisions objectively, follow up on communications, handle requests for information on qualifications, and perform a separate GDPR check when the recruitment process is completed. Includes editable Word documents, searchable PDF versions, and Excel registers.

When is the Package Suitable?

For private companies recruiting staff that want to keep the recruitment decision, rejection communication, and any requests for information on qualifications separate. The package does not replace selection criteria, employment contracts, discrimination investigations, collective agreements, HR legal review, or a GDPR-compliant recruitment system. Public sector recruitment may require specific procedures for public records, archiving, and appeals, and is not covered as a complete process.

Documents in the Package

Excel Tool with Nine Tabs

Overview, Recruitments, Candidate ID, Notices, Interviews, Information on Qualifications, Retention, Checks, and Read Me. Nine tested aggregation formulas count, among other things, the number of recruitments, registered candidate IDs, manually marked rejections, sent notices, completed interviews, answered requests for information on qualifications, and verified retention actions. The workbook contains no personal data, has administrative status lists, and no macros. Excel does not make recruitment decisions, assess discrimination, or calculate legal retention periods.

Use the Product Step by Step

1. Check that the objective selection and decision regarding the candidate in question have already been documented by the authorized function.
2. Select the rejection notice before or after the interview; double-check the recipient, position, sender, and actual decision.
3. Answer any questions with verifiable information. Do not provide retrospectively constructed or discriminatory justifications.
4. If the applicant requests information on qualifications: use the specific template and apply Chapter 2, Section 4 of the Discrimination Act.
5. Keep GDPR requests separate from general inquiries and handle them through the regular data protection procedure.
6. Mark communications as sent only after they have been sent. Assess retention or deletion according to purpose, legal basis, and any legal claims.

Legal Requirements and Limitations

The Discrimination Act (2008:567), Chapter 2, Sections 1 and 4 is relevant to the prohibition of discrimination and written information upon request regarding education, work experience, and other qualifications of those who have been invited to an interview or hired. A standard rejection template is not a substitute for a specific request for information on qualifications. IMY's recruitment guidance emphasizes data minimization, legal basis, appropriate retention periods, and that sensitive personal data should normally not be processed in recruitment. Consent is rarely a suitable basis for regular recruitment. Verksamt.se describes responsibilities and risks in discrimination.

Frequently Asked Questions

Must the employer always explain why someone did not get the job?

There is no general rule requiring a lengthy individual rejection letter in every private sector recruitment. However, under Chapter 2, Section 4 of the Discrimination Act, an applicant may, under specified conditions, request written information on the qualifications of the person who was interviewed or hired.

Can I use the same rejection letter for everyone?

A neutral standard notice can be used after an actual check, but it must be sent to the correct person after a real decision has been made. Do not use automated individual decisions without separate legal review.

Can I write why one candidate is worse than others?

Avoid value judgments that are not supported by documented, objective requirements. Do not share other applicants' sensitive or private information; handle legally mandated requests for information on qualifications separately.

How long should applications be kept?

It depends on the purpose, legal basis, the risk of legal claims, and any special legislation. Excel therefore has no general automatic retention period. See IMY's guidance and your established retention policy.

Does Excel send rejection letters automatically?

No. Excel is an offline work log with manual statuses and counters. No email transmissions, personal profiles, decisions, or data connections are included.

Are English templates included?

An English User Guide is included to describe the Swedish working documents, but the main templates are in Swedish and are based on Swedish law.

Related HR Templates

Before a decision, Reference Checks & Reference Interviews may be relevant. For candidates who are offered employment, there is a separate Employment Offer & Offer Letter. These products have different functions.

Version, Source Control, and Delivery

Version 1.0, 2026-11-01. AI-assisted legal source verification against official sources has been performed. No independent external legal review of this new product version is documented. The ZIP file is stored on Google Drive during production and manually linked separately to Shopify Digital Products before publication.