Your staff contract of employment is essential under Irish employment laws.
With one, you and your employee will have a clear understanding of what to do during your working relationship.
But how do you go about creating one? Well, you can download an employment contract sample—it’s free. And we discuss the intricacies of employment contracts below.
Employment contracts—the basics
When you hire a new employee, it’s important to have an employment contract.
This confirms the agreement between you and the employee about their responsibilities—as well as your own.
You don’t legally need an employment contract to be in writing (a verbal agreement is enough provided both sides carry out the fundamental duties of an employment relationship), but it can prove useful in the event that any issues arise during the employee’s time with your business.
However, staff do have entitlement to a written statement of main terms of employment. So, you will need to provide a copy of this document to them in writing.
In addition, since the enactment of the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2018, you also need to provide a ‘5 day’ statement of five core terms of employment no later than five days after the employee’s start date.
Essential elements of an employment contract
A contract of employment should set out the main terms of employment required in writing by law along with your policies such as:
- The main and other express terms of employment, including information about employee duties and the employment termination process.
- The hours the employee will work.
- Annual leave.
- Sickness and injury policies.
- Role responsibilities.
- Annual salary.
- Your disciplinary and grievance procedures.
- How to terminate the contract and end employment.
- Any relevant legal requirements, such as information on applicable employment laws, trade union membership, collective agreements and work pensions.
You need to present this information in writing to your employee. They’ll need some time to read the document and then can accept it by signing provided they’re happy with all the content.
The importance of a signed contract is threefold.
- The new starter knows what they need to do in their role.
- Legally, you must provide certain terms in writing within two months of the employee’s start date. A signed contract is a written record of your compliance with this duty.
- You must also provide the 5 day statement within five days of the employee’s start date. Likewise, a contract signed within this timeframe will demonstrate your compliance with this legal duty.
How to use the terms of employment contract template
All you need to do is download the sample and fill in a few details. The document is then yours to amend.
Remember, it’s a free sample contract of employment for Ireland. You can amend it as you need to, either as a:
- Full-time employment contract template
- Part-time contract.
- Temporary or fixed-term workers.
This isn’t a blank employment contract. It’s a sample that includes the main terms required by law. You can use the document as the basis to complete a complete contract for your staff.
You can amend it for each new starter and add to it as your business develops.
Remember, it’s important to take into consideration the requirements of each new employee. Don’t reproduce each document in the same way.
Instead, think about how to adapt it to suit individual job roles. Each employee will need specific information about what they’re doing.
You must also adjust the details regarding wages, working hours, and any benefits they receive.
Need our help?
Get in touch for support on completing your contracts of employment. We have a 24/7 advice line: 0818 923 923.
