The contract of employment is the most important document in the employment relationship!
The right contracts of employment will protect your business and provide flexibility. The wrong contracts won’t! They will restrict you and leave you vulnerable to unnecessary costs and disputes.
When there is an employment ‘issue’ or ‘dispute’ the first question is ‘what does the contract say?’ (followed by what does the policy say?). If your contract does not support what you are tying to do, you simply cannot do it.
Clearly drafted contracts (and supporting documentation) can prevent disputes arising. If everyone is clear from the outset about what the terms are (and what is expected) there is less chance of misunderstandings or disagreements. If disputes do arise, they can generally be resolved more quickly, easily and amicably.
There are also legal requirements to comply with which require the employer to provide employees with a written statement of their terms of employment (this can be in the contract), and this includes specific information. This information needs to be provided on or before the first day of employment (a day-one right).
The contract of employment is simply the most important document when it comes to employment, so it’s worth getting right.
You can use the template contracts of employment and read extensive guidance about contracts on YourHR.guide using the links below. Start by reading the guidance notes and then look at the contract templates.
You can sign up for a FREE account and get (limited) access to guidance and templates and receive email updates about changes in employment law as they happen. Just visit https://yourhr.guide/ (please note that some content is restricted to Premium members only).
7. Lay-off and Short Time Working
Case Study – Contractual Terms in Action
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