Employment Contract Template
The agreement that turns an offer letter into a job: role, pay, hours, leave, confidentiality, and how either side ends it. Use this for a permanent employee, not a contractor.
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT This Employment Agreement ("Agreement") is made on between: Employer: , of ("Employer"), and Employee: , of ("Employee"). 1. POSITION. Employee is engaged as , reporting to . Duties are set out in the attached position description and may be reasonably varied with notice. 2. START DATE AND TYPE. Employment begins on and is ]. Employment is . 3. PROBATION. The first months are a probationary period. During probation either party may end this Agreement on week written notice. 4. HOURS. Ordinary hours are per week, worked . for approved hours beyond ordinary hours.] 5. PAY. Employer will pay per , less lawful deductions, paid by direct deposit. Pay is reviewed . 6. BENEFITS AND LEAVE. Employee is entitled to of days per year, plus sick leave and public holidays as required by law, and . 7. CONFIDENTIALITY. Employee will keep Employer's non-public information confidential during and after employment, and will not use it except to perform the role. 8. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. Work created by Employee in the course of employment belongs to Employer. Employee will sign documents reasonably needed to confirm that ownership. 9. TERMINATION. Either party may end this Agreement with weeks written notice, or payment in lieu. Employer may terminate immediately for serious misconduct. On termination Employee will return all Employer property. 10. RESTRAINT. For months after employment ends, Employee will not solicit Employer's clients or staff whom Employee dealt with in the final months. 11. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement is governed by the laws of . 12. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement replaces all prior offers and discussions. Changes must be in writing and signed. SIGNED: _________________________ _________________________ Date: Date:
Using this for something that matters?
This free employment contract covers the standard situation. If real money, property, or an ongoing relationship rides on it, a professionally drafted version, or a quick attorney review of what you've filled in, costs little and removes the guesswork.
Ask any local attorney for a fixed-fee document review, most offer one.
How to use this template
- Attach the position description rather than listing duties in clause 1; you can update the attachment without renegotiating the contract.
- Non-compete clauses are void or heavily restricted in California, Minnesota, Oklahoma, North Dakota and, for most workers, under recent federal rules. A narrow non-solicit (clause 10) survives where a non-compete will not.
- Get it signed before the first day worked. A contract presented in week three is worth much less, because the employee gave nothing new in exchange for it.
These templates are general forms for informational purposes, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by using them. Laws vary by state and country, have a licensed attorney review any document before you rely on it.
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