The employment contract - a vital necessity

What is An Employment Contract Used For?

An employment contract is an agreement made between an employer and employee which will dictate the terms of the employment between the two parties. Anyone who is starting a new job or who is currently working for an employer has the right to an employment contract which will cover all of the terms, conditions and details of their working agreement.

In accordance with employment law, an employment contract will exist as soon as you begin working for an employer. Your acceptance of any job offer will automatically indicate that you have agreed to the terms and conditions of your employment as they are set out in an employment contract. The terms of this contract are automatically considered as valid regardless whether or not you have previously read the agreement. If you have been working for an employer for a minimum or two months you also have the legal right to a written copy of the contract.

Although officially agreeing to a verbal contract is acceptable, it is recommended that you carefully view the terms and conditions of your employment contract, as in doing so you will be made fully aware of all of your responsibilities to your employer as well as your rights whilst working for them. A full understanding of the terms and conditions of your contract will help to ensure that any disputes that arise between you and your employer can be quickly settled.

As an employee, it is often necessary to give your employment contract a good deal of consideration, however it must be remembered that the terms of any employment contract will never override your employment rights according to the law. If you believe you may have been subject to unfair or illegal working conditions you may wish to seek the advice of a solicitor who specialises in employment law.

A fair employment contract will ensure that no issues of this nature will have to be addressed and that all employees are subject to fair working conditions. However, there are a variety of unfortunate incidents and circumstances which could affect you as an employee, therefore it is important to consider any issues which may arise over the course of your employment, such as:

• unfair dismissal
• discrimination or bullying
• the misuse of employee personal information
• unfair working hours
• breaches of health and safety

If you believe you have been unfairly treated as a result of illegal terms or a breach of contract between you and your employer, then it may be necessary for you take legal action against your employer for which you may be entitled to compensation. The law takes an extremely dim view of any employer who has been deemed to of subjected its employees to unfair working conditions, and as such any breaches in your employment contract will be strictly dealt with.