What is a Fair Employment Contract?
As one might guess, an employment contract is a document that discusses the terms of employment. Both the employer and the employee agree to the terms mentioned in this document. Things that an employment contract might discuss include pay, employee responsibilities, schedule, and the like.
You know what an employment contract is and have a general idea of how to write one, but what does a fair employment contract entail? Below are some elements a fair employment contract might include.
Table of Contents
Clear Guidelines On Sick Leave
We all get sick or face injury at some point. It’s only fair that we give employees ample time to take off when ill, visiting the doctor, or taking time off to rest after an injury.
Being clear regarding the terms of medical leave in an employment contract is critical so that there aren’t surprises for your employee later down the line.
Terms Regarding Bonuses And/Or Commissions
It’s an employee’s right to know how much they will be getting paid before accepting a position. However, it should also be an employee’s right to know if their future job will include commissions and if they will be potentially eligible to receive bonuses.
If there are bonuses and or commissions available, be thorough in explaining when and how these will become available to the employee to give them a fair, equal opportunity as their coworkers in achieving these.
Specifications Regarding Job Duration
It makes perfect sense for an employee to know how long their job is going to last. If it’s a temporary job, they should have the right to know that so that they can have another job lined up by the time their temporary job comes to an end.
Grounds For Termination
Nobody wants to be terminated from a job, that’s for certain. There are things one might do, like steal from the company, that are obvious grounds for being fired. However, there are also things that one might be doing that aren’t so obvious grounds for being fired.
Due to the latter, it’s a good idea to be very clear in your employment contract about the grounds for termination. Employees deserve the chance to avoid termination, but they can’t completely do so unless they’re aware of all the things that they can be terminated for.
How Disputes About The Agreement Can Be Resolved
As much as both the employee and the employer want to always be in agreement with one another, that only happens in a perfect world. That said, it’s the right thing to do to offer your employee the right to dispute anything in the employment contract that they might not fully agree with.
Do you need more help in understanding employment contracts? Reach out to an expert proficient in employment contract law in Sydney today.
Conclusion
Any employer can write a casual or formal, legally-bound employment contract. However, it takes effort to create an employment contract that is fair and precise for all parties involved. Consider the latter elements when writing an employment contract for your employees.
