28 Jan EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS
Employment contracts are fundamental to the employment relationship and can be used to:
- improve upon the minimum employment conditions in the National Employment Standards (NES), modern awards or an enterprise agreement;
- incorporate additional flexibilities for either party; or
- impose additional obligations such as confidentiality, a post-employment restraint and expected levels of conduct.
The distinction between contractual conditions and lawful and reasonable directions from an employer which are often contained in policy documents is not always clear. Properly drafted employment contracts are critical to ensuring both parties know exactly what rules they are contractually bound to follow and what rules can be unilaterally determined by an employer.
Unfortunately, the reality is many parties do not seek an appropriate level of legal advice prior to entering into employment contracts and assume that any problems can be resolved amicably. Then in the future the relationship breaks down and suddenly each and every word in an employment contract can become critical.
In other instances the parties do not even confirm the terms of their employment contract in writing and are left to argue about verbal statements or undertakings down the track. This often leads to significant legal expenses and uncertainty.
To find out more about employment contracts, read our article on Contracts and Deeds of Release.
GENERAL AND CONTACT INFORMATION
The article, the content and references made are intended to keep an audience updated with information. It is not intended that the article or part of it should be relied upon as advice. Information provided may not apply to in all circumstances or in particular situations. If you do want particular advice or you have any questions, we welcome you to contact us on (02) 9189 5905 or at [email protected]