Contract of Employment

[Lord Tyrion]

Looking for a bit of advice. Our employees currently have contracts of employment that are 4 pages long. We have decided to update and tidy them up and realised we needed a little help. During the process we also decided to create a staff handbook as the advice was to put as much general stuff and policies in there as they can be easily amended, unlike a contract.

I went to one talk and the advice given was to get the contract down to 1 page, 2 at most. The contract should be simple is the idea. We employed someone and the documents have been sent through. Extensive handbook, good, policies, good, contract up to 18 pages. Holy moly. I am about to go back to the person but I am interested to know, how many pages are your work contracts? What is the realistic length we should be looking for?

 

[DanFST]

Think mine was 8, with a handbook also.

 

[Old Skier]

ACAS might be a good starting point if you don't have a qualified HR bod. https://www.employersdirect.org.uk/...MIv4eUnfXm2gIVi7TtCh2zcgNuEAAYASAAEgILpPD_BwE

 

[Khamelion]

I think mine was 3 or 4 pages, printed both sides.

I guess the contract length depends on the job you do, what the employees role will be, what services you provide and whether your product is a secret and then there are the terms and conditions, over time rules, lieu time rules, flexi time, holidays, Internet and email policy, health and safety info if appropriate, salary info, job title etc...

 

[SocketRocket]

An employees handbook should cover all the common terms of employment. Holidays, Disciplinary procedure, Grievance procedure , expenses, etc. It's also normal to give a statement of Employment Particulars, Employees are entitled to receive a statement of their employment particulars within two months of starting work. This sets out your main employment terms, including the job description, pay and hours of work.

 

[Rooter]

Just checked for you, my contract is 17 pages long. I work for an American co if that makes any difference...

 

[chrisd]

Just checked for you, my contract is 17 pages long. I work for an American co if that makes any difference...

Don't use one word when ten will do ?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

The existing contracts cover the same ground as the new ones, the new ones just pad it out more. I discovered the contracts are actually 8 pages, the other 10 are appendix items that I can move to the handbook. Apparently the new wording is recommended by the Federation of Small Businesses so it makes sense to keep with what has been recommended. More protection for all parties but I know some of the staff will get defensive when they see what we are introducing just because of the size of the new contracts, policies etc. My job to educate them .

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Hobbit]

The existing contracts cover the same ground as the new ones, the new ones just pad it out more. I discovered the contracts are actually 8 pages, the other 10 are appendix items that I can move to the handbook. Apparently the new wording is recommended by the Federation of Small Businesses so it makes sense to keep with what has been recommended. More protection for all parties but I know some of the staff will get defensive when they see what we are introducing just because of the size of the new contracts, policies etc. My job to educate them .

Thanks for the replies.

Include them in a consultation process. Get them into the staff room and communicate.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Include them in a consultation process. Get them into the staff room and communicate.

:thup:

 

[Orikoru]

Just dug mine out from my old emails... 14 pages. Well the first 2 were covering letter so 12 pages I guess. No I have not read them all. :rofl: