EMPLOYMENT LAW

Employment Contracts

Expert employment contract drafting and review for businesses, ensuring your agreements are legally compliant, up to date and give your business the protection it needs.

All employees must receive a written statement of their employment terms by their first day, and our expert employment team prepares contracts for businesses of all sizes, keeping your documentation current, compliant and properly tailored to your workforce.

New starter contracts

We draft employment contracts for new starters, tailored to the role and your business's needs.

Contract reviews

We review existing contracts and update them to reflect changes in the law and your business.

Restrictive covenants

We advise on post-termination restrictions, including non-compete and non-solicitation clauses.

Staff handbooks

We draft and review staff handbooks to support your contracts and set clear expectations.

Role changes

We advise on varying employment terms and documenting changes to employee roles and responsibilities.

We draft employment contracts that reflect current employment law, cover the key terms for the role and include the protections your business needs, including restrictive covenants where appropriate. Getting the contract right at the outset is the simplest way to protect your business throughout the employment relationship.

We also review and update existing contracts. Many businesses use template agreements that have not kept pace with changes in employment law. We identify gaps and recommend updates.

Drafting new contracts

We prepare employment contracts for new starters, covering all legally required terms and additional protections relevant to the role and your business.

Reviewing and updating contracts

We review existing contracts and template agreements, identifying provisions that are out of date or that leave your business without adequate protection.

Restrictive covenants and clauses

We advise on post-termination restrictions, including non-compete, non-solicitation and confidentiality clauses, and draft them to be enforceable and appropriate for the role.

Disciplinary and Grievance

Guidance for employers managing disciplinary, performance, and grievance processes fairly.

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Fosters HR

Flexible HR and employment law support for businesses needing practical guidance.

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HR and Advisory Support

Ongoing employment law advice for employers managing day to day HR issues.

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Redundancy

Advice for employers planning redundancies, consultations, restructures, and settlement risks.

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Settlement Agreements

Support preparing settlement agreements that resolve workplace issues commercially and clearly.

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Our employment team advises businesses of all sizes on drafting and reviewing employment contracts. We hold Lexcel accreditation and the Customer Service Excellence quality mark. We work with businesses of all sizes to ensure their contracts are legally compliant and provide effective protection.

Lexcel accredited

Law Society quality standard for legal practice management, held for over 10 years.

Customer service excellence

Holders of the national quality mark for outstanding client care.

Fosters HR

Our fixed-fee employment service gives you expert employment advice at a predictable monthly cost.

What must an employment contract include?

All employees must receive a written statement of their main employment terms by their first day of employment. This is a legal requirement. The statement must include certain key information, including: the names of the employer and employee, the start date, pay and working hours, holiday entitlement, notice periods, and the job title or description.

Most businesses also include additional terms such as confidentiality clauses, intellectual property provisions and disciplinary and grievance procedures, either in the contract itself or by reference to a staff handbook.

Do I need different contracts for different types of staff?

Not necessarily, but your contracts should reflect the nature of each employment relationship. A senior manager’s contract may include terms around enhanced notice periods or restrictive covenants that would not appear in a standard employee contract. Contracts for part-time, fixed-term or zero-hours workers should also reflect the specific terms of that arrangement.

We advise on the appropriate structure for your workforce and draft or review contracts accordingly.

What are restrictive covenants and do I need them?

Restrictive covenants are clauses that restrict what an employee can do after they leave your business. Common examples include non-compete clauses, which prevent the employee from working for a competitor for a set period, and non-solicitation clauses, which prevent them from approaching your clients or staff.

Whether restrictive covenants are appropriate depends on the role and how much access the employee has to confidential information, client relationships or specialist knowledge. We advise on whether covenants are suitable and draft them so they are enforceable.

How often should employment contracts be reviewed?

We recommend reviewing your template contracts every two to three years, or when there is a relevant change in employment law. Many businesses have contracts that were drafted some years ago and do not reflect current legal requirements or best practice.

An out-of-date contract may not give your business the protection it needs. We review existing contracts and recommend updates where required.

What happens if I don't provide a written contract?

Failing to provide a written statement of employment particulars by the employee’s first day is a breach of your legal obligations. It can also weaken your position in any subsequent dispute with that employee or lead to an enhanced award being made against you by an Employment Tribunal.

We help businesses put compliant contracts in place for all staff.

Meet our business employment law team

Our team of business employment law lawyers is comprised of compassionate and skilled legal professionals dedicated to supporting you through the most sensitive and personal legal matters.

Meet the team