Employment Contracts Solicitors

Setting out clear and well-drafted employment contracts is a necessity for any business, no matter its size or number of employees.

There are many reasons why a business should have tailored employment contracts. They aim to protect the business should any issues arise, provide security and protection for employees, but also help empower you to manage staff efficiently and effectively.

At Clarkson Wright & Jakes, our team is made up of specialist employment law solicitors who have decades of combined experience in dealing with employment contracts. We know precisely what to look for and what is necessary to have included. We provide the in-depth expertise and high level of service combined with a personal approach which means we will take the time to understand your business and its needs and aims.

We would always recommend businesses to approach employment contracts with a skilled and trusted solicitor who knows exactly what is needed and can support you each step of the way, and that is precisely the service that our team can offer you.

Our office is located in Orpington, but we work with clients in London and across the South East with legal matters surrounding employment.

To discuss how our highly skilled employment lawyers can help your business with employment contracts advice, please contact us on 01689 887887 or fill in our enquiry form.

Our expertise with employment contract advice for businesses

Our Employment Law team are experts in their field, with decades of combined experience as specialist employment lawyers who have helped many employers over the years.

Head of Department,  Laura Claridge and Solicitor  Faye Shortall both specialise in employment law. 

All members of the team are members of the Employment Lawyers Association and Laura is an Affiliate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).  

Our Employment law team have also been recognised nationally for their expertise in the following ways:

• Ranked band 4 for Employment Law by Chambers and Partners
• Laura is recognised as an 'Up and Coming' laywer in the Chambers and Partners legal directory
• Ranked by the Legal 500 for Employment Law

Our employment contracts solicitors can assist with…

Expert employment contract advice and assistance across a range of legalities, including:

• Review of Contracts
• Drafting employment contracts
• Employment contract negotiations
• Advice on the terms of employment contracts
• Directors’ service agreements
• Breach of employment contracts
• Enforcing the terms of employment contracts
• Terminating employment contracts
• Consultancy Agreements and Sub-Contractor arrangements

Our legal fees for employment contracts advice

At Clarkson Wright & Jakes, we recognise the importance of knowing precisely what you will be paying for legal services.

We are proud that our legal fees are clearly set out and competitive. Our rates are benchmarked against other firms that have a comparable level of expertise in the legal sector, reflecting the certainty we can provide over our legal costs.

We can offer our services on a fixed fee basis, or if preferred or more necessary for your particular case, we can instead offer a competitive hourly rate.

Find out more about our fees.

Employment contracts FAQs

What needs to be included in an employment contract?

There are certain essential details that need to be included within contracts of employment, and some of these include:

• The employer’s name
• The employee’s name
• The job title
• Description of work
• Start date
• Place of work or remote worker, lone worker agreement
• How much the employee will be paid
• When the employee will be paid
• Hours and days of work
• Holiday entitlement
• Type of contract
• Length of probation period
• Benefits of the job
• Any training
• Sick pay
• Holiday entitlement
• Procedures should the employee be off sick
• Other paid leave, e.g. maternity leave
• Notice period
• Pension contributions
• Disciplinary and grievance procedures

If you are unsure or need any further assistance, our employment contract solicitors can help with drafting a contract or reviewing your contracts for employees or workers.

Does an employment contract need to be in writing?

Yes, an employer is required to give a written statement of terms of employment on or before the employee's first day of employment.    Employers may face a financial penalty for failing to do so.  

Does an email count as an employment contract?

Yes, if you choose to send an email, it can be counted as an employment contract as emails, in most instances, can be counted as legally binding and particularly so if an offer of employment is made in the email which is accepted by a candidate

Does an employment contract need to be signed?

For employment contracts to be valid, they do not have to be signed for it to be a binding agreement between the parties.

Contracts can be agreed verbally or implied through conduct, such as where the employee starts working following what has been set out in the contract, e.g. doing the job role stated, even if the contract has not been signed.

So, even if a contract has not been officially signed by the employee, it can still be legally binding and seen as acceptance of the terms set out.

Can an employer change the terms of an employment contract?

It is possible for the terms of employment contracts to be changed, but this must be agreed by the employee in advance who will be affected by the changes or by their trade union representative. 

If they do not agree to the contract changes, then legally, the terms cannot be changed.

What happens if an employee breaches their contract?

Terms are set out in employment contracts to efficiently run the business.  Occasionally breaches of contracts do happen for numerous reasons. An example of a breach of contract could be where the employee is not following the working hours that are set in their contract.

There are several options available for an employer, including:

• Taking disciplinary action against an employee using a disciplinary process
• Immediate dismissal (only in exceptional circumstances and you should always seek legal advice first)
• Suing the employee for any financial loss suffered due to their breach

When acting upon a breach of contract, it is important to accurately follow the terms and conditions you set out in the employment contract regarding disciplinary, dismissal or grievance policies.

Employment contracts can be breached by both parties, not just the employee. The terms you set out within the contract of employment must also be followed by the employer. If they are not followed there is the potential for your employee to bring claims against you in an Employment Tribunal.

Consult our employment solicitors

To discuss how our highly skilled employment lawyers can help your business with employment contracts advice, please contact us on 01689 887887 or fill in our enquiry form.