Have you reviewed your employment contracts recently?

Your employment contracts are the most important employment law document you have and should be viewed as a form of insurance for your business outlining the relationship between an employer and employee.

It is imperative that every employee is provided with an employment contract, whether they are full time, part time, or on a casual basis.

When was the last time you reviewed the content of your contracts? They once may have been fit for purpose, but now they may be lacking certain essential elements.

Employment law is continually evolving, and you may not be aware that changes in any law can impact on your obligations as an employer, such as changes in retirement age, national minimum wage, flexible working, visa requirements.

It is essential to ensure that they are always up to date and legally compliant. If your employment contracts are not updated, it can cause issues in the event of a dispute.

An employment contract would be the first document reviewed if an employee brings an Employment Tribunal claim against you as the employer. If a contract is not available, then it is left to the Employment Tribunal to decide what the terms of the contract are, which could highlight many issues for the business.

As an employment contract sets out the factors of the employment relationship, it is essential that you get them right, not only legally but with ensuring that the terms fit in with your business requirements.

Restrictive covenants

Post-termination restrictions included in the employment contract are there to protect your business should an ex-employee attempt to compete with you or poach your staff or customers. It is essential to review these on a regular basis and in light of new case law regarding enforcement.

If you haven’t taken action to tackle these important issues yet don’t delay, we are here to help and can review your existing employment contracts, adding in clauses where appropriate to make sure that you are legally compliant and helping you to communicate this to your employees.

Our in-house expert Donna can help with any amendments that you may need to make to any current contracts or in creating a bespoke contract that can be used throughout your business.

See our full list of HR services here and drop into our HR clinic by emailing employersupport@a4g-llp.co.uk.