Contracts of Employment
Before You Set Off
Picking Up the Pace
Maintain Momentum
Shifting Up a Gear
Bumps in the Road
Changing Direction
Why online templates are not enough
At a minimum, your contracts need to cover: names of both parties, start date, job title, place of work, pay and pay frequency, hours of work, holiday entitlement and pay, sick pay, notice periods, and pension information.
Beyond the legal minimum, a well-drafted contract also covers: probation period and conditions, confidentiality obligations, intellectual property and data ownership, post-termination restrictions where relevant, and how grievances and disciplinaries will be handled.
If you are in a business where employees have access to client data, client relationships, or sensitive commercial information, those protections are not a nice-to-have, they are essential.
What your contract should cover
At a minimum, your contracts need to cover: names of both parties, start date, job title and duties, place of work, pay and pay frequency, hours of work, holiday entitlement and pay, sickness absence and pay, notice periods, and pension information.
Beyond the legal minimum, a well-drafted contract also covers: probation period and conditions, confidentiality obligations, intellectual property and data ownership, post-termination restrictions where relevant, and how grievances and disciplinaries will be handled.
If you are in a business where employees have access to client data, client relationships, or sensitive commercial information, those protections are not a nice-to-have. They are essential.
If you already have employees without contracts
You are not alone. Many businesses have been running for years with informal arrangements that were never properly documented. The risk this creates is real, but it is fixable.
We will review your situation, draft the right documentation for where you are now, and make sure everything is signed and in place. The sooner you address it, the better.
What is a contract of employment?
A contract of employment is a legally binding agreement between you and your employee. It sets out the terms under which they work for you: pay, hours, holiday entitlement, notice periods, job responsibilities, and the expectations of the role on both sides.
Under UK law, you must provide a written statement of employment particulars on or before an employee's first day of work. This is not optional, It’s a Day One requirement.
A contract also protects your business interests. Confidentiality clauses, intellectual property ownership, and restrictions on what an employee can do after they leave you all need to be in writing to be enforceable.
Common Questions
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