Why review an employment contract?
You have received a job offer from your dream place and are elated about the opportunity. The company has sent you an employment contract; you must sign it to accept the offer. Should you just go ahead and sign the contract? The answer is NO.
Whether you are a fresh graduate, who is excited to embark on a new journey or an experienced professional transitioning to a new role, you should take your time to review and if needed, get it looked at by a legal professional.
Not only for employees, employers should also take assistance from legal practitioners to review their employment contracts to protect the interest of the company.
This article will discuss the critical aspects of an employment contract, the standards of employment provided by Alberta, and the significance of hiring a legal professional to review the employment contract before signing it. So, if you have any questions related to the terms of the contract, like benefits, termination clause, severance package, Wrongful dismissals, Human rights violation, workplace harassment, dispute resolution mechanism, this article is for you.
Compensation and Benefits
The most important aspect of any employment contract is the compensation and benefits package offered by an employer to the employees. It has been witnessed that during your interviews or confirmation of your appointment, companies offer bonuses and other benefits, but if these are not properly documented in the employment contract, you cannot legally enforce them. Therefore, a thorough contract review by an attorney ensures that all the entitlements, such as salary, bonuses, health insurance, retirement plans, vacations, and other benefits, are adequately documented. Your lawyer will also ensure that you receive fair and competitive compensation, which can prevent potential losses of thousands of dollars over the course of your employment.
Contract Duration and Termination Clauses
The second important aspect for an employee is the duration of employment and the termination clause. On the one hand, an employee needs job security to prevent the risk of sudden job loss. But on the other hand, an employee may not be willing to work permanently in any company. Therefore, it is imperative to hire a lawyer to review your contract and ensure that you receive favourable terms that protect your job security and provide a fair notice period in the event of termination. It is also important to include clauses in the contract for voluntary resignation, so you can resign from the job at any time by serving a notice period without incurring any financial loss.
Dispute Resolution Mechanism
Like any other contract, an employment contract should have clauses related to dispute resolution because disputes can arise in the course of employment. In order to be prepared for any unfavourable and unforeseen situation, it is important to hire a lawyer to review the employment contract and to make sure that it includes provisions for dispute resolution, such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or litigation. A lawyer will help you to understand these processes and advocate for your best interests, and in the long term, it will save you time, money, and energy.
Unfair Clauses
In our practice, we have witnessed many unfair clauses in employment contracts, like the non-competition clause, which legally prevents an employee from joining any competitor after the termination of the contract. In these circumstances, former employees are deprived of potential career prospects and opportunities within the same industry. Similarly, some clauses can deprive you of your vacations or overtime pay, or you may be asked to work outside your employment hours or you may be asked to perform additional duties without adequate compensation. Mostly, employees sign these comprehensive contracts without reading them, and later on, they are trapped. Therefore, a legal practitioner can review the contract and identify any unfair terms which can negatively affect you.
Ensure compliance with Alberta Employment Standards
The state of Alberta has enacted well-defined standards and laws to protect the interests of employees. It covers fair compensation, reasonable hours of work, overtime, break during employment, vacations, and many more. All employers are bound to act in compliance with these standards. Still, in some cases, employers violate these standards, and employees agree to their terms and waive these standards by accepting the contract without actually reading it. However, employment attorneys review the contract and ensure that it is not repugnant to state laws and is in compliance with the state standards to protect your best interests.
In short, employment contracts are very important both for your career prospects as well as your financial security. Therefore, it is recommended to get your employment contract reviewed by an expert professional to understand the terms and conditions. An attorney will ensure that the terms of the contract are fair, protecting your best interests in terms of compensation, options for new opportunities, etc. Otherwise, you may sign unfair documents, which can deprive you of your entitlements, and you may lose thousands of dollars.
Let us review your employment contract
Here at JurisCorp law, we have a team of employment attorneys who have been providing legal advice to clients successfully. Our attorneys are fully aware of the significance of employment contracts for any employee and are fully conversant with Alberta standards and laws.
Our team will review your contract and ensure that all your interests are protected and that you receive a fair deal. Another good news is that we offer free initial consultation.
Let’s discuss your employment contract-related challenges today.