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Article Index
Employment Contracts
The Basics
Written Statement
Other Contractual Terms
Non-contractual Terms
Common Issues

Employment Contracts

2. Written Statement

You can provide a single written statement covering all the terms; or a 'principal statement' (see 2.1), together with further instalments covering the other specified terms and conditions (see 2.2-2.4). The statement must cover all the specified terms and conditions, even if they do not apply.

2.1 The principal statement must contain:

  • The names of the employer and employee.
  • The date when the employment began.
  • The date on which the employee's period of continuous employment began (may include previous employment with a related employer).
  • The employee's scale or rate of pay (or how it is calculated) and the intervals at which wages or salary will be paid.
  • Information about working hours (starting and finishing times, system of shifts, night work, meal breaks, rest days, overtime and overtime payments, etc).
  • Entitlement to annual holidays (including bank and public holidays) and holiday pay.This must provide enough information to work out the employee's entitlement to accrued holidays and holiday pay on the termination of employment.
  • The employee's job title (or a brief description of the work for which the person was employed).
  • The employee's place of work.If the employee is required or permitted to work in various places, the statement should include an indication to that effect and a note of the employer's address.

2.2 The principal statement or some other readily accessible documents must also include:

  • Information on discipline (see 2.3) and grievances (see 2.4).
  • Any terms and conditions relating to incapacity for work due to sickness or injury, including any provision for sick pay (other than statutory sick pay).
  • Any terms and conditions relating to pensions and pension schemes, including if the pension scheme is 'contracted out'.
  • The length of notice which the employee is obliged to give and entitled to receive to terminate the contract of employment.
  • The intended period of employment or the date when it will end (unless permanent).
  • Any collective agreements which directly affect the terms and conditions of the employee's employment.

2.3 The statement must include a note on disciplinary rules, including:

  • What the rules and procedures are. These must comply with statutory minimum requirements

2.4 The statement must include a note on your grievance procedure, including:

  • The individual (by name or job title) the employee should contact with any employment grievance, and how to do so.
  • What procedures will be followed if a grievance is raised formally. These procedures must also comply with statutory minimum requirements.
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