The Benefits of Employment Contracts
♫ Thursday, April 15th, 2010Nowday, employment contracts cover a wide range of legal employment matters. Like any contract, employment contracts can be written or verbal, implied or explicit. Having a good written contract benefits both the employer and the employee because the contract makes a clear, definitive record of the terms each party is agreeing to at the time.
For example, the confidentiality agreement mentioned earlier is a contract in which the employee promises not to reveal any of the employer’s secrets. It is implied in this contract that as long as the employee keeps up their end of the bargain, the employer promises to continue offering the employee that position. Because of the larger issues surrounding this agreement, it may stand alone or be incorporated as a clause in a larger contract.
A well-written contract offers a simpler and less-expensive way for both sides to settle employment disputes, should they arise. Employment contracts protect both sides in the event of a disagreement. At the first sign of a dispute, a contract comes in handy and can simply be reviewed to confirm each side’s rights and responsibilities. In due course, a lawsuit might be filed if the employer or employee is not upholding their side of the contract. Thus the most important function of a written contract is to avoid litigation. Matters of who is right and who is wrong are decided quickly, and you can avoid drawn-out arguments of “he said-she-said.”
Each side should retain a proper copy for their own reference. A contract’s purpose can’t be fulfilled if it’s lost in a storage box somewhere at home or in the office. Besides, memories fade and disputes can arise long after the initial employment period begins. A written copy ensures that both parties know what they have agreed to and that they can be reminded of their duties whenever necessary.
