An employment agreement between an employer and an employee is a binding agreement that specifically states the terms of employment. An employment agreement can benefit an employee if it is negotiated properly, but often, it is created by the employer to benefit the employer. Before employees sign an employment agreement, they may wish to have it reviewed by their own attorney who is familiar with employment law and employment practices. An employment attorney can suggest additional items that can be added to the agreement or language that should be left out to benefit the employee.
Some of the terms that are normally laid out in an employment agreement include:
- An employee’s salary, including what events trigger bonuses and whether the employee is eligible for overtime pay
- An employee’s benefits, including vacation time, sick time, health insurance, and retirement benefits
- Information outlining what information is confidential to that specific job
- Information regarding employee performance reviews and what information will be provided at the review and on what grounds you will be rated
- The agreement may state that you are an at-will employee, which means that you may be terminated at any time for any reason
- The agreement may specify under what circumstances you may be terminated
- Some contracts may require the employee to work for a specified amount of time before quitting
- An employee can also negotiate terms into the agreement that promotes job stability and clarity on what the job entails
It is important to set the terms you want in an agreement early on, since it may be difficult to change or break the agreement later, unless there was some sort of element of duress at the time you signed the employment agreement.
Cherry Hill Employment Lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. Assist Clients With All Types of Employment Contracts
Having an employment contract looked over by an attorney prior to signing is of utmost importance. If you are already in an agreement with your employer, you may have questions about how far reaching it may be and what is at stake if you want to break it. The Cherry Hill employment lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. can evaluate your situation and provide advice on the next best steps. Call us today at 215-569-1999 or contact us online for a free case evaluation. Located in Pennsauken, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout South Jersey.