Use this contract: 

• To employ an employee of any kind, from trainee to senior manager, from manual worker to office staff.
• If you want to employ an employee on a permanent or fixed-term basis, full-time (100%) or part-time.
• Whether the salary is gross or net, annual, monthly or hourly, paid in 12 or 13 monthly instalments, or otherwise.
• Whether or not you want to give the employee more benefits than are provided for by law.
• Whether or not you wish to impose more restrictions and responsibilities than are provided for by law.

Protect yourself legally as an employer with the following options: 

• Restrictions on non-disclosure, non-solicitation and non-competition, even after employment, with penalties. 
• Extensive monitoring measures, obligation to record working hours and submit to regular checks. 
• Clear definition of working hours and breaks, with a general obligation to work overtime, travel and take business trips. 

• Possibility of payment in lieu of dismissal leave, suspension from work as a disciplinary measure, and immediate termination for cause. 
• Duty of loyalty, diligence, and obligation to return equipment and tools in the same condition, with limits on coverage of expenses and use of equipment or vehicles. 

Offer the employee the following protection and benefits: 

• Bonuses and benefits of all kinds, including training funding, sales commission, performance-based and non-performance-based bonuses. 
• Longer holidays, extended redundancy leave, no trial period and seniority pay. 
• Salary net of any tax or social security contributions, 13th salary, shorter payment periods and right to tips. 
• Flexible working hours, paid lunch break and home office policy. 
• Company car or card, parking space, equipment, tools, or other expenses covered, including lump-sum payments. 

Basic employment contract

A basic employment contract is a legal document between an employer and an employee that outlines the duration, terms of work, and remuneration. With this comprehensive template, you can create a valid working contract, ranging from a standard work agreement to the most complex employment document.

A company or business may use a basic job contract template:

• For full- or part-time, open-ended, or fixed-term employment.
• For hiring a worker for any kind of job, from an executive manager to a trainee.
• With a base salary or additional bonuses, incentives, and plans.

Key aspects of a basic employment contract

An employment agreement template lays out the duties of the employee and the employer, reminding the parties of the legal obligations and restrictions that apply by law. Highly regulated, any employment relation is subject to numerous statutory restrictions, for example:

• National minimum wage (NMW)
• Minimum paid leave entitlement
• Maximum work schedule and rest periods
• Minimum termination notice
• Maximum duration of non-compete covenants
• Etc.

Seven tips on a basic employment contract

Our basic employment agreement template protects the employer’s legal interests, for example:

• Clear limits of what choices can be made within the legal boundaries
• Intuitive explanations of statutory limits and minimum requirements
• Various restrictive covenants and protective measures for the company
• Reminder and reinforcement of workers’ legal duties, such as confidentiality and diligence.

With the basic employment contract template you can also go above and beyond the legal requirements, for example:

• Variable salary, commission, bonus, and education sponsorship
• Expenses allowance, company card, tools, and company vehicle
• Greater termination notice, seniority bonus, and intellectual property rights.

Create a basic employment contract with AdminTech

Using AdminTech online document builder and a basic work contract template, the only required thing is to fill in the fields with the appropriate information, tailoring the document to the specific situation.

A professional employment agreement covers the following information:

• Employee’s name and address
• Job title and requirements associated with this position
• Working schedule, hours, breaks and vacations
• Salary and payment terms
• Probation period, duration, and termination notice.

FAQ on a basic employment contract

What’s the difference between an employee and a consultant?

You should not use a basic employment contract for a consultant or freelancer. They are not considered employees, although the distinction can be quite difficult. In essence, an independent consultant:

• Has multiple clients
• Defines their own schedule and working hours
• Assumes their own costs and expenses
• Acts as an independent service provider vis-à-vis the market.

What are the maximum working hours in the UK?

The working hours for a full-time employee should not exceed 48 hours per week, averaged over 17 days.

In our simple employment contract sample, you can define the working hours, the schedule, and the lunch break to your preference, within the statutory limits.

What is the minimum paid leave in the United Kingdom?

Any employee is entitled to a minimum paid vacation of 20 working days a year. Our employment agreement template will further explain that:

• Vacations are reduced proportionally to an incomplete year of work
• Annual leave is reduced proportionally in the case of part-time employment
• Vacations should be taken in kind, and compensation is only possible upon termination
• The employee may be required to take company holidays off.

What is the termination notice for an employee in the UK?

A fixed-term agreement comes to an end automatically on a specified date.

If you choose an open-ended option in our basic employment agreement template, you may choose a longer notice period, or apply a statutory notice of:

• 1 week as of 2^nd month of employment
• 2 weeks as of 2 years of employment
• An additional week for each subsequent year of service, up to a maximum of 12 weeks, unless otherwise agreed in the contract.

How long is the probation period in the UK?

A probation period generally does not exceed 6 to 12 months. However, a minimum termination notice applies as of the 2^nd month of employment, regardless of having selected a trial period in the basic employment agreement template.

Is a non-competition clause in a work contract valid?

Yes, you can restrict the employee from competing with the business by choosing this option in our basic employment contract template, subject to the following rules:

• Limitation to activity and territory
• Limitation to time (maximum 3 months)
• Justification by employer’s interest and circumstances
• Written form of restriction.

What is an exclusivity clause in the employment agreement?

Unlike non-compete, an exclusivity clause restricts the worker from performing any similar activity during the employment relationship. In our basic job contract template, you have 2 options:

• Complete prohibition of ancillary work for full-time employees
• Restriction to work for competitors during the time of employment.

What is the penalty for breaching non-compete?

Non-compete, non-solicitation, non-circumvention, or exclusivity clause – whatever you select from our simple employment contract sample, may give rise to a lump-sum penalty for each act of breach that you can define freely, as long as it is justified and not excessive.

Can the employment agreement be terminated early?

Early termination of standard work agreement is possible in the following cases:

• Termination during probation within the 1^st month of employment
• Termination by mutual consent of both parties
• Immediate dismissal for serious misconduct.

Are employees entitled to work from home?

You can select an option of full-time or occasional home office work in our basic work contract template. Sometimes, the employees are entitled to a flexible schedule after a certain duration of work, which must be discussed on a case-by-case basis.

How can employers ensure a successful employment experience?

To ensure a successful employment experience, it’s generally advisable for employers to:

• Clarify whether a freelancer, a consultant, or an individual subcontractor may qualify as an employee or worker.
• Draft a basic employment contract and tailor it to your specific needs using our sample.
• Observe the national minimum wage and other limits and restrictions that are highlighted in our guidelines, embedded in the online document builder.
• Decide if you want to grant any additional rights to your employee.
• Determine if you would like to apply additional duties, restrictions, or penalties within the limits of the law.
• Keep track of timesheets, record all evaluations and disciplinary measures, and make sure to remind the employee of their obligations and rights regularly.

Use this contract: 

• If you do not wish to impose any more obligations or restrictions on the employee than are provided for by law.
• If you do not wish to grant more benefits to the employee than are provided for by law.
• If you wish to employ an employee on a permanent or fixed-term basis, full-time (100%) or part-time.
• If you want to employ all kinds of staff, from trainees to senior executives, from manual workers to office staff.
• Whether the salary is gross or net, annual, monthly, or hourly, paid in 12 or 13 monthly instalments, or otherwise.

Protect yourself legally as an employer with the following options: 

• Clear definition of working hours and breaks, with a general obligation to work overtime if necessary, and a holiday schedule. 
• Prohibition of incidental work in the case of full-time employment and during holidays. 
• Obligation to travel or represent the employer by signature. 
• Possibility of payment in lieu of dismissal leave, suspension from work as a disciplinary measure, and immediate termination for cause. 
• Condition precedent to employment, duty of loyalty, diligence, and obligation to return equipment and tools in the same condition.

Offer the worker the following protection and benefits: 

• Flexible working hours, paid lunch break and home office policy. 
• Salary net of all taxes and social security contributions, 13th salary and shorter payment periods. 
• Extended holiday entitlement, additional paid or unpaid leave. 
• Entitlement to all or part of tips received from customers. 

Use this contract: 

• To hire a domestic worker of any kind, such as a nanny, gardener, cook, security guard or private chauffeur.
• If you want to employ someone on a permanent or fixed-term contract, full-time (100%) or part-time.
• Whether the salary is gross or net, annual, monthly, or hourly, paid in 12 or 13 monthly instalments, or otherwise.
• Whether or not you wish to include more obligations, benefits or restrictions than are required by law.

Protect yourself legally as an employer with the following options: 

• Clear definition of working hours, breaks and holiday schedule. 
• Possibility of payment in lieu of notice of dismissal, suspension from work as a disciplinary measure, and immediate termination for cause. 
• Precondition of employment, duty of loyalty, diligence, and obligation to return equipment and tools in the same condition. 

Offer the employee the following protection and benefits: 

• Salary net of all taxes and social security contributions, 13th salary and shorter payment periods. 
• Extended holiday entitlement, additional paid or unpaid leave. 
• Employer’s car or bank card, with flat-rate expense cover and additional benefits in cash or in kind. 

Use this contract: 

• To hire an employee to carry out his or her duties remotely, whatever the responsibilities and the position held.
• If you wish to employ an employee on a permanent or fixed-term basis, full-time (100%) or part-time.
• Whether the salary is gross or net, annual, monthly, or hourly, paid in 12 or 13 monthly instalments, or otherwise.
• Whether or not you wish to include more obligations, benefits or restrictions than are required by law.

Protect yourself legally as an employer with the following options: 

• Restrictions on non-disclosure, non-solicitation and non-competition, even after employment, with penalties. 
• Extensive monitoring measures, obligation to record working hours and submit to regular checks. 
• Clear definition of working hours and breaks, with a general obligation to work overtime, travel and take business trips. 
• Possibility of payment in lieu of dismissal and justified immediate termination. 

• Duty of loyalty, diligence, and obligation to return equipment and tools in good condition, with limits on the coverage of expenses and use of equipment or vehicles. 

Offer the employee the following protection and benefits: 

• Bonuses and benefits of all kinds, including training funding, sales commission, performance-based and non-performance-based bonuses. 
• Longer holidays, extended redundancy leave, no trial period and seniority pay. 
• Salary net of any tax or social security contributions, 13th salary and shorter payment periods. 
• Company car or card, equipment, tools, or other expenses covered, including lump-sum payments. 

Use this contract:

• If you want to take on a trainee for a certain period on a paid basis.
• To assess their skills in any field, from manual labour to office staff.
• Whether full-time or part-time, combined or not with current studies.

Protect yourself legally as an employer with the following options: 

• Clear definition of working hours and breaks, with a general obligation to work overtime if necessary, and a holiday schedule. 
• Prohibition of accessory work in the case of full-time employment and during holidays. 
• Possibility of payment in lieu of dismissal leave, suspension from work as a disciplinary measure, and immediate termination for cause. 
• Condition precedent to employment, duty of loyalty, diligence, and obligation to return equipment and tools in the same condition. 

Offer the following protection and benefits to the trainee: 

• Salary net of all taxes and social security contributions, 13th salary and shorter payment periods. 
• Extended entitlement to additional holiday, paid or unpaid leave. 
• Entitlement to all or part of tips received from customers.

Use this contract: 

• To employ an employee of any kind, from trainee to senior manager, from manual worker to office staff.
• If you want to employ an employee on a permanent or fixed-term basis, without set hours of work, at hourly rate.
• Whether or not the employee should commit certain availability hours, and whether or not such availability hours are remunerated.
• Whether or not you want to give the employee more benefits than are provided for by law.
• Whether or not you wish to impose more restrictions and responsibilities than are provided for by law.

Protect yourself legally as an employer with the following options: 

• Restrictions on non-disclosure, non-solicitation and non-competition, even after employment, with penalties. 
• Extensive monitoring measures, obligation to record working hours and submit to regular checks. 
• Clear definition of working hours and breaks, with a general obligation to work overtime, travel and take business trips. 

• Possibility of payment in lieu of dismissal leave, suspension from work as a disciplinary measure, and immediate termination for cause. 
• Duty of loyalty, diligence, and obligation to return equipment and tools in the same condition, with limits on coverage of expenses and use of equipment or vehicles. 

Offer the employee the following protection and benefits: 

• Bonuses and benefits of all kinds, including training funding, sales commission, performance-based and non-performance-based bonuses. 
• Longer holidays, extended redundancy leave, no trial period and seniority pay. 
• Salary net of any tax or social security contributions, 13th salary, shorter payment periods and right to tips. 
• Flexible working hours, paid lunch break and home office policy. 
• Company car or card, parking space, equipment, tools, or other expenses covered, including lump-sum payments. 

Zero Hour Contract

A zero hours contract template allows you to draft a legal agreement to employ a worker with an undefined working schedule. By using the zero hours contract UK template you can hire staff for occasional services at an hourly salary, whether on-premises or remotely.

A company or business may use a zero hours contract form:

• For part-time employment, occasional or seasonal tasks
• For hiring a worker to perform services on call, when necessary
• Without engaging to pay a fixed salary in the absence of work.

Key aspects of a zero hour contract

A zero hours contract lays out the scope of tasks that an employee may be summoned to do, without a specific schedule. The employee may be required to:

• Make themselves available during the determined period
• Respond to assignments within a certain notice period
• Perform work on an hourly salary basis, depending on the scope of work done.

Eight tips on a zero hour contract

Our zero hour contract example protects the employer’s legal interests, for example:

• Unambiguous limitations of available options within the strict statutory requirements
• In-built clarifications on legal bounds and minimum requirements
• Numerous restrictive covenants and defensive measures for the business
• Notice and strengthening of employee’s lawful responsibilities, such as non-disclosure and duty of care.

With the 0 hour contract example you can offer incentives and opportunities to the workers, for example:

• Specifying a termination notice even if one is not required by law
• Allowing commission on sales as a variable salary
• Promising potential full-time or part-time fixed employment based on performance
• Allowing payment for availability hours even if no work is requested.

Create a zero hour contract with AdminTech

Using AdminTech online document builder and a zero hours contract template, the only required thing is to fill in the fields with the appropriate information, to create the document for the specific situation.

A professional 0 hour contract covers the following information:

• Employee’s name and address
• Job title and requirements associated with this position
• Availability schedule and notice
• Salary and payment terms
• Probation period, duration, and termination notice.

FAQ on a zero hour contract

Is zero hours agreement legal in the UK?

Yes, United Kingdom legislation allows zero hour contracts. However, many ordinary employment rules still apply and must be observed.

With our zero hours employment contract template UK, employers can conclude valid agreements while respecting the applicable law.

What are the advantages of being on a zero hour contract?

For an employer, a zero hours contract form allows flexibility and less engagement or liability than a classical employment agreement, because:

• There is no fixed salary
• You are not obliged to provide the minimum amount of work
• It is easier to dismiss the employee by simply not requesting any work.

Who needs a zero hour agreement?

Our zero hour contract example is beneficial for startups and small businesses:

• Who are not ready to hire full-time or part-time staff
• Who are not sure about the scope of work to be performed in upcoming months
• Who may require employees to do certain tasks without a high level of responsibility or qualification
• Whose schedule is mostly unpredictable and subject to rapid fluctuations.

Are employees on zero hour contracts entitled to sick pay?

In the case of zero hours contract template UK, employees may be entitled to statutory sick pay under the following conditions:

• Earning at least £120 per week
• Being ill, self-isolating, or “shielding” for at least 4 consecutive days.

However, if the employee fails to inform the employer upfront, generally before the availability notice starts, they lose their entitlement to sick pay.

Are employees on zero hour contract entitled to annual paid leave?

As an employee, zero hour staff is entitled to a minimum statutory holiday of 5,6 weeks (20 working days + 8 bank holidays). However, as you can choose in our zero hours contract template, the paid leave:

• Is reduced proportionally to the effective time worked
• May be compensated in cash.

Can you restrict zero hour employees from competing?

Although you can generally restrict zero hour employees from working for competitors where this is justified, which you can select in our zero hours contract UK template, you cannot prevent them from working for other employers altogether. This restrictive covenant is illegal in the United Kingdom.

What is the salary for a zero hours worker?

In the case of a 0 hour employment, there is no fixed salary. In our zero hour contract example you can opt for the following payment options:

• Hourly salary for the work time done
• Salary based on the performance of specific tasks (for example: parcels delivered)
• Commission on sales or turnover generated by the employee.

Are zero hour employees entitled to a pension plan?

Just like any employee, pension plan entitlement may apply in the case of a 0 hour contract example, but this mainly depends on the salary earned over the year. The following conditions apply:

• Be over the age of 22 but below state pension age
• Work in the UK under their contract
• Earn above the “qualified earnings” (£10,000 a year or the pro rata amount for your number of hours).

What is the termination notice for a zero hour employee?

Employees on zero hours contracts have no rights to notice periods. This means that both the employer and the employee may terminate the agreement at any time. However, such termination should not be abusive and unreasonable. Our zero hours contract template UK allows you to include a minimum termination notice if you would like one.

How can employers ensure a successful zero hours employment experience?

To ensure a successful 0 hour employment experience, it’s generally advisable for employers to:

• Include a general availability schedule to enhance foreseeability for both you and your employee.
• Conclude a reasonable availability notice given your business interests and the private life of the employee.
• Avoid unreasonably abrupt termination and consult with the employee before such an act.
• Unless you are absolutely sure, avoid promising full-time employment to a zero hours staff, whether in written or verbal form.
• Use our zero hours contract template to protect your legal interests to the fullest extent.

Keep good track of all hours worked and tasks performed to correctly calculate the wage and holiday pay.