| Small businesses often cannot afford expensive | | | | damages if they are not met. |
| attorneys fees for mundane tasks such as hiring | | | | An employment contract form also has another |
| general personnel or contractors. This article tells | | | | benefit -- it makes it more likely that the |
| you how a standard employment contract form | | | | company will be viewed as following employment |
| can be used to reduce costs and protect your | | | | laws, rather than breaking or ignoring them. A |
| legal interests. | | | | classic example is a retail, agriculture, or basic |
| An employment contract form is a standard | | | | services company that employs a large number |
| agreement used by a small or mid-sized business | | | | of temporary and part-time workers. It is critical |
| to memorialize the duties and benefits of the | | | | that both the company and the workers know |
| employer and employee relationship. This type of | | | | their jobs are not full-time. For the company, this |
| agreement is particularly important for businesses | | | | would mean paying a significant amount of |
| that have intellectual property to protect, employ | | | | additional health and retirement benefits. As most |
| consultants and other contract workers, or who | | | | business owners and managers know, keeping |
| have a specific labor need to fulfill. A standard | | | | unncessary costs under control is critical to |
| agreement is helpful in any employer-employee | | | | profitability and survival. A basic work contract |
| relationship. | | | | that specifically states that the job is only |
| One of the benefits of a standard form is that it | | | | temporary or part-time and does not qualify for |
| lays out the requirements of both parties at the | | | | mandated benefits can eliminate future lawsuits. |
| beginning of the relationship, not the end when | | | | It is not necessary to employ a sophisticated and |
| you're already in a conflict. The process of writing | | | | expensive employment lawyer to write custom |
| up a formal agreement, reading, and signing it | | | | contracts for the bulk of your normal employees |
| provides clarity and a sense of seriousness to | | | | or contractors. While such contracts make sense |
| things. The employee or consultant will feel a | | | | with executive or highly skilled job positions, the |
| greater duty to get the job done, knowing that | | | | costs outweigh the benefits for small or medium |
| failure to do so will lead to either termination or | | | | sized companies employing mostly low level |
| being held responsible financially. The business gets | | | | workers. In most instances you will never get into |
| an employee or consultant who is serious enough | | | | a conflict situation and if you do, the fine print |
| to sign a contract and is more likely to get the | | | | often gets ignored in court when the opposing |
| job done. The agreement may also lay out | | | | side may be uneducated or at a disadvantage. |
| potential damages for failure to deliver specific | | | | The best balance of cost, legal protection, and |
| items. This greatly simplifies the conflict resolution | | | | understandable responsibilities is achieved when |
| process by creating clear expectations and clear | | | | you use a standard employment contract form. |