Employment Contracts

[Robert Frost]

Who draws yours up?

I want this done correctly of course, and am just struggling at the moment over how we will phrase the part about tips received. I've started a thread on that (about the fairest way to split them),so was just thinking how to put this in the contract

Do you just use a normal solicitor or do you use a specialist employment one?

 

[Gemma Rowlands]

I am lucky because I have a friend who is a solicitor and does ours for free. So that's absolutely great. Make sure whoever you choose has the ability to draw up proper contracts that cover all bases, as it definitely stops you from getting your fingers burned later. About tips - I would put something like "tips will be distributed at the discretion of management" as that means you can pretty much make your mind up as and when, and change your mind without having to inform all of the staff.

 

[Pete Brindle]

I draw up my own. This is possibly a horrendous thing to admit, but because I have so far employed only friends I do it myself. I downloaded one from the internet and adapted it. I will absolutely have to get a proper solicitor to do our new ones because things are different now, and I'm employing proper staff (no offence to my friends of course, they're all great).

 

[Mike Turner]

I draw up my own. This is possibly a horrendous thing to admit, but because I have so far employed only friends I do it myself. I downloaded one from the internet and adapted it. I will absolutely have to get a proper solicitor to do our new ones because things are different now, and I'm employing proper staff (no offence to my friends of course, they're all great).

It's okay, until you're in any kind of trouble and it goes legal and they start finding holes in it. It's a better idea to have it drawn up by people who can anticipate anything that could go wrong. Before it goes wrong, rather than in hindsight. It's much better protection for you in the future that way.

 

[Pete Brindle]

It's okay, until you're in any kind of trouble and it goes legal and they start finding holes in it. It's a better idea to have it drawn up by people who can anticipate anything that could go wrong. Before it goes wrong, rather than in hindsight. It's much better protection for you in the future that way.

I hadn't really thought about it like that. I'm in business with my friends, but I suppose friendships can turn sour so I really shouldn't be quite so quick to trust. I am opening a new branch in the New Year and I think I will definitely try to hire somebody professional to do the contracts. I'm not as familiar with some of those staff, and it's definitely better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Mike Turner]

I hadn't really thought about it like that. I'm in business with my friends, but I suppose friendships can turn sour so I really shouldn't be quite so quick to trust. I am opening a new branch in the New Year and I think I will definitely try to hire somebody professional to do the contracts. I'm not as familiar with some of those staff, and it's definitely better to be safe than sorry.

Another note: if you're having new contracts of employment for your new staff, you might also want to consider getting updated ones for your existing staff. It's much easier to manage if everybody is working on the same terms, and it makes for better staff morale too. For example if you haven't talked about a notice period in your current contract, but state a month in your new ones, it means that some staff have an advantage over others, which isn't particularly fair.

 

[Edward Obi]

Hello Team,

I am a HR consultant if you need any help and guidance please feel free to contact me on edward.obi@deuxconsulting.com or 01224 660373, 07810548283.

We at Deux Consulting support our clients to get it right in the workplace.

Please feel free to share my contact details.

Best Regards

Edward