An employment contract exists the moment an employee accepts a job offer regardless of whether you provide a written employment contract or not.
In addition to any written job offer, the terms of the employment contract can be affected other employment documents (such as a job description), a verbal agreement or by employment practice.
You must ensure your employment contract does not override an employee's statutory rights (such as the right to a minimum wage, sick pay or certain types of leave).
Proforma employment contract
As a sole trader or small business, it's likely you won't have HR expertise in house. If money is tight, you can save time and money by using a proforma employment contract. It's possible to find quality, lawyer-approved employment contract templates that ensure your new employee's statutory rights are met without costing the earth.
Employment documents
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You should seek tailored legal advice about employment contracts.