After submitting countless job applications and going through the interview process, you’re likely relieved to finally have a new job and are ready to start. A new job can often require a lot of paperwork at the start, including your employment contract. This is something many of us might overlook and assume that it covers the basic details of our employment, so we really don’t have to worry about it too much. However, your employment contract should contain all of the terms and conditions of your employment, and some might not be what you expected if you don’t carefully review it.
If you have concerns about your employment contract, you may need the help of a New York City employee rights attorney. Brown Kwon & Lam can help you negotiate for a contract that’s in your best interest and ensure yours has everything it needs. Here are some of the most important terms and conditions that your employment contract should have.
Job Information
An employment contract should make all of the details of your position and responsibilities clear. This should include your job title, description, the team you’re on, and who you report to. You should also ensure that your employment contract lists the schedule you’re expected to work. Some of this might seem like basic information that you don’t need to have specified, but it’s important that nothing be left out of a contract that could potentially end up causing you complications later on.
How You’ll Be Compensated
You might be an hourly or salaried employee, or you might receive compensation based on a commission you earn. How your employer is going to compensate you should be included in your contract, including the amount you’ll make. There is also additional information that should be included regarding compensation. Some employers may offer signing bonuses, have annual raises and bonuses, or other financial incentives. Anything related to financial compensation should be detailed.
Benefits
Your position may come with various benefits, all of which need to be detailed in your contract. For many, this includes health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plans. Benefits like these need to be thoroughly explained and any other perks the employer provides need to be included as well.
How Disputes are Handled
While you might not be thinking about it shortly after accepting a new position, there’s always the chance that disputes will arise during your employment. If issues occur, your employer should have a standardized way of handling them. An employment contract can let you know in advance what their process for handling disputes and other issues is.
Termination and Severance
Many employees in New York City and throughout the country have at-will employment. This means that your employer has the right to fire you for any reason or no reason at all. Bear in mind that this does not mean you can be terminated in an act of discrimination or retaliation. However, some employers may state that there are only certain reasons why they would terminate an employee. An employment contract should dictate whether or not your employer needs a reason to fire you and what their process for this is. In addition, employment contracts should provide information regarding severance packages, if the employer offers them.
Have Brown Kwon & Lam Assist with Your New York Employment Contract
You can never be too careful when it comes to your employment contract, so it’s important that you have everything your employer promised in writing. Reviewing legally-binding contracts and negotiating for the best terms and conditions can be challenging and is best done by experienced attorneys. Brown Kwon & Lam can help ensure your employment contract benefits you and can help if your contract is ever breached.
Contact our New York City employee rights lawyers to get assistance with an employment contract today.