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This is the most sane, common sense approach to an HR requirement that I've ever seen.
It makes me wonder how effective the advice is, though, since I don't see the words "in triplicate" anywhere in the text 
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You will be asked why you are leaving though, so just say its to 'take on new challenges'. Its generic enough that it doesn't say much, and leaves you in the clear looking like a progressive and adventurous person.
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Daniel Pfeffer wrote: Don't make it personalDon't burn bridges
But I so WANT TO!!!
Marc
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You may give a reason for leaving, but then again you don't have to be too specific or critical. Your employer may well ask you anyway, especially if your resignation is unexpected. So, best make sure you have your reason for leaving well rehearsed.
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Mention that it was a pleasure to work with them
So if it wasn't, leave it out or lie?
Pete
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I did say that it was optional.
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
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As the saying goes, "it depends."
I've written one resignation letter in my professional career - after 18 years as chief sysprog with an Enormous State University's computer center (and that was 32 years ago; I'm still with my second employer). In my case the reason for leaving was disgust with the university's administration - an opinion shared by the computer center director. I gave the director a heads-up almost a year before I left that I was looking for another position, and in my formal resignation promised to stay through a major installation to help it go smoothly.
Since then I've twice been a manager (and both times escaped without serious injury) so I see the resignation letter from both sides. A few comments:
* If the departure is amicable, say so. "I've been privileged to work with the highly professional staff at World Wide Widgets but have found new opportunities to develop and use new skills elsewhere". Volunteer to help plan the transition to backfill your position. Don't say that if it's not true, but in that case don't lie.
* Note that if the departure is amicable (as was mine), ask your co-workers who think highly of your qualifications for permission to give their names and (perhaps personal) phone numbers to potential employers. Your employer will almost certainly refuse to disclose anything more than your dates of service, but that doesn't mean that you can't tell co-workers that you approve them going into detail. (No, this isn't part of the resignation letter but it's something to consider).
* The "normal" expectation by an employer is a two-week notice that you plan to leave, but the employee manual, contract, or other document may require longer notice. If possible give a lead time long enough to make a smooth transition (assuming no need to say "I'm gone"), but consider whether that will trigger security procedures. Many companies have a policy that any employee with access to sensitive data will be terminated immediately upon receipt of a letter of resignation, then be given a payment equal to the salary they would have received between notice and departure (typically called "payment in lieu of notice").
* If you think it necessary to explain - either in the letter of resignation or in the exit interview with HR - problems that led to your resignation, BE POLITE and to the greatest extent possible, describe the problem and not the personalities involved. Even if your current employer refuses to disclose the details of your work a potential employer may hear about you at industry meetings, and hearing about a "good-bye, you stupid idiots" resignation letter won't make a good impression about your ability to fit into a potential employer's workforce.
* Write the letter of resignation, then let it ferment for a few days. Read it again; did you write something that now sounds like a 2-year-old's temper tantrum? ("Revenge is best served cold.")
* Ask a friend - preferably but not necessarily working for your current employer - to read the letter. Ask for their gut reaction to it. (And if you're still looking for a job, do the same with your resume.)
Again, every departure from employment has its own unique characteristics; hopefully this gives you some things to think about.
Joe
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I had no problems "burning a bridge" (actually, it was barely a rope across a river) several years ago.
It didn't help that I was being forced to work 60+ hour weeks on a project-from-hell.
It didn't help that I was owed over $5000.00 USD in backpay.
It didn't help that we lost our insurance coverage - seriously, no insurance for well over two years - it makes me appreciate the ACA.
The straw that broke the camel's back? After walking out (and driving away) pissed, then coming back after cooling off some - the owner of the company had the audacity to make me choose between my education time (I was taking, at the time, both of Stanford's MOOC experimental courses - ML Class and AI Class - and doing well in both) or working long hours on a dumbass web application (which the client kept changing the specs on - lovely).
I value my education much more than that job - and I let him know with both barrels. I also let every other remaining employee there know as well why I was leaving (it was a very small company - 5 people or so).
I never got my backpay - despite sending a year's worth of Dunning notices - even a letter from my lawyer. Unfortunately, I didn't have the money to pursue it further (and even if I had, most of my money would have been eaten in lawyer fees). In the end, I found a new place of employment making 10K more, with benefits. I completed my studies, too.
A few months later, two other people had quit (one told me he saw the writing on the wall when I left). A few months after that, the owner bought out his partner, and his partner moved away. Time passed, and after a brief stint with a couple of coders who couldn't make heads or tails of the code (seeing as the totally fubar'd the company website - which was based on our custom framework) - the company, AFAIK, imploded. On paper, I think it still exists as a name - but it no longer sells it's web development services.
It's been years since - and I don't regret one thing about my method of resignation. There was no respect for me as a person or an employee, so I didn't feel like I needed to respect that company or employer in return.
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Every rule has its exceptions... 
If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
--Winston Churchill
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Way back in the late 1980's, I worked for a company that built minicomputers (remember them? ). At the time, minicomputers were losing out to PCs. My boss and I came to loggerheads over working significantly more than eight hours per day for the duration of a major long-term project. I declined and, for my lack of team spirit, I was laid off. I found another job within a few weeks.
About a year later, HR at my new company came to me and asked if I would recommend my former boss for a position with them. Guess what my answer was...
P.S. They did not hire them.
__________________
Lord, grant me the serenity to accept that there are some things I just can’t keep up with, the determination to keep up with the things I must keep up with, and the wisdom to find a good RSS feed from someone who keeps up with what I’d like to, but just don’t have the damn bandwidth to handle right now.
© 2009, Rex Hammock
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It depends if you ever want to work for that boss again - if you don't want to burn bridges then a "I'd like to take the opportunity to thank you for x.y.z" is customary.
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Is it OK to write it in a Christmas Card?
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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Yes, but not a Valentines... 
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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You need to use a crayon.
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or cut out the words from the newspaper.
veni bibi saltavi
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It's a formal announcement of one of two things:
1) I'm terminating our contract on such-and-such date
or
2) I want more money and this may force you to offer it.
Either way, keep it short and polite, give the last day of employment and give no reasons.
Hand deliver it (or leave it on his desk) marked "private and confidential"
Remember, your new employer may want to take up references and there is a lot your current employer can say "between the lines" without giving you a "bad reference" itself.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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OriginalGriff wrote: Hand deliver it (or leave it on his desk) marked "private and confidential"
I prefer to use a big red stamp that says "Top Secret". 
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill
America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde
Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
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Maybe it's a good thing that all my current employer can do when called for a reference is to confirm dates of employment
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Keep it brief and simple. Basically keep it to two general areas:
(1)when you are leaving
(2)if you can bring yourself to include it, include a sentence thanking the company for the support you have received while at the company.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
― Christopher Hitchens
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The modern form has changed over the years, it needs to be formal, containing all the relevant details, but not too stuffy.
Try this: Yo Dude/Dudette!
Take the work and put in your blow pipe, Imma gonna be da tree and 'leaf'.
F'want anyting from me, Friday I leave but you're up there with Blatter if ya thinking I'm doing any mo toil now!
Later!
Insert Name Here
veni bibi saltavi
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Serious? Face-to-face and tell him to FOAD you're leaving and it's been a pleasure, etc, THEN give him the letter for HR's records.
veni bibi saltavi
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[Shortest resignation letter?]
Dear Sir,
Bull.
Kind Regards,
[Instead of bull balderdash, poppycock or some other hideous symbol of frustration could be used]
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So whats the story, Got a new job? Thought you were pretty much indispensable there. Be prepared for a counter offer.
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It's a hypothetical question.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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I resigned a position in October 2011; had been there since January 1999.
I kept it cordial, but gave reasons:
the opportunity to work at another organization on a single platform 100% of the time
I was the on-site developer, defacto DBA, report creator, etc.
My manager said, "If I knew you wanted to work on 'x', there is an opportunity to work on it for the entire corporation."
My reply, "And?"
Her reply, "Well, if you had spare time, you'd work on development, reports, DBA, etc."
My reply, "And that is why I'm leaving."
Cordial, but direct.
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