Myth Busting Employment Contracts: Five Common Misunderstandings

Let's be honest, for most employers, employment contracts are important but not terribly exciting. 

However, we've recently seen some businesses get caught out by the requirements surrounding employment contracts.  So, read on as we address five common misunderstandings:

(A quick note: in this article, we refer to employees and employment contracts.  However, these points also apply to workers and their contracts.)

1. Do employers need to provide employment terms in writing?

Yes: legally, employees and workers must receive a written statement of particulars of employment on or before their first day of employment/engagement.  The document is often called a “section 1 statement” (the obligation to provide it is contained in section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996).