Employment contract

Your employment contract is the essential basis of a good relationship with your employer. 

It will set out all of your rights and obligations so that both you and your employer understand exactly what is expected of you. Having the right employment contract in place will go a long way to avoiding misunderstandings and disagreements in the future.

At Springhouse Solicitors, we have extensive experience in checking and negotiating complex employment contracts. We can make sure that you understand the implications of signing and that your interests are protected as far as possible.

We can negotiate with your new employer on your behalf to ensure that you receive the best deal possible and that all of the benefits you are expecting to receive are included.

What is an employment contract?

An employment contract is the legal agreement between you and your employer setting out the terms of your legal relationship. It will include terms that are expressly written into the document as well as implied terms, which are not. Examples of express terms include the amount you will be paid, the hours you will work and the amount of holiday you will receive.

Implied terms can include a duty of trust and confidence, a duty not to act against your employer’s interests, a duty of your employer to provide work and statutory duties that are set out in employment law but not generally written into each individual employment contract.

What do employment contracts usually say?

All of the basic information about your employment should be included, such as names and addresses, your start date, the job title, your duties, your place of work, the hours you will work, pay, sick pay, the amount of holiday, notice periods and the employer’s disciplinary and grievance procedure.

Beyond this, there is wide scope to include clauses specific to your job, such as details of commission and bonuses, what other duties you can be required to do, rules about flexible working, suspension and dismissal procedures, confidentiality and whether changes to your employment contract can be made.

For more senior positions, an employment contract can be lengthy and complex and it is recommended that you seek legal advice before signing to ensure that the terms are in your best interests.

At Springhouse Solicitors, we can enter into negotiations on your behalf to ensure that you receive the best deal possible. We will also look at the contents in detail to make sure that in the future you can rely on the clauses to protect you and that there are no unpleasant surprises.

Why employment contracts are important

A clear and well-drafted employment contract benefits both employer and employee by making sure they both understand from the start what their obligations are and giving them the best possible chance of a good working relationship.

A strong legal foundation will give you the security of known that you can rely on the specified benefits that you have been given and that, should your employer breach the terms of the agreement, you will have a clear right to enforce it.

Where the contract is unambiguous, it will help avoid disputes arising. In the event that a disagreement does occur, a strong employment contract will allow both sides to see what should happen. This will go a long way to allowing an issue to be resolved by negotiation and without recourse to the court or an employment tribunal.

Have no contract of employment? See our article, working without a contract of employment.

How Springhouse can help

Tell us your contract concerns

As an employee, it is important that you are getting the terms you want from your employment contract and that the contract contains nothing unfavourable. Our qualified employment law solicitors will make sure you get the best deal.

Get a health check for your new contract

We can cast an expert eye over your new contract. We will help you understand it fully and check that it contains nothing out of the ordinary. We can help explain any complicated aspects, such as non-compete clauses, incentive plans and share ownership schemes, and ensure that you are happy with all the terms before you sign.

Negotiate the contract you want

Our qualified employment law solicitors can negotiate the terms of your contract. We can provide the expert assistance that will help you secure the conditions you want.