Contract Clarity: Navigating Employment Agreements With Certainty

For non-unionized employees, having employment contracts in place is imperative to limit liability and uncertainty. In addition to controlling entitlements upon termination of employment, well drafted employment contracts can also limit other sources of liability for employers, which can surface even following the end of employment.

It is not just the wording of the contract that is important. Timing is everything! A new employee should be provided with a copy of their employment contract with their offer of employment.

The employee should be provided with sufficient time (several days) to review the contract and provide an executed copy of the contract to the employer. The employer should ensure that they obtain a signed copy of the contract from the employee before they start their employment. Getting a new employee to sign an employment contract after they have already started their employment can have significant cost implications: New Brunswick v Dornan,