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A clear and comprehensive contract of employment that sets out rights, responsibilities, and terms between employer and employee.
Statement of Employment Particulars
This statement is provided in accordance with Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 and forms part of your contract of employment. It sets out the main terms and conditions of your employment with [Employer Name].
Where the wording refers to the Employee Handbook or Company policies, these are available on request and form part of your employment framework. This statement is intended to be clear and transparent and to reflect both statutory minimums and the Company’s good employment practice.
1. Employer and Employee Details
Employer: [Employer name], [Employer address]
Employee: [Employee name], [Employee address]
Job Title: [Job title]
Start Date: [Start date]
Continuous Employment Date: [Continuous employment date]
2. Probationary Period
You will be subject to a probationary period of [number] months from your start date. This period allows both you and the Company to confirm suitability for the role. Your manager will review progress during probation, provide feedback and reasonable support, and record outcomes.
The Company may extend the probationary period where, in its reasonable opinion, further time is required to assess performance. During probation, either party may terminate employment by giving [shorter notice period]. Any extension or change to probation will be confirmed to you in writing, with reasons and the duration of the extension.
3. Place of Work
Your normal place of work will be [address]. You may be required to work at other locations as reasonably required by the employer. Where relocation or regular travel would cause unreasonable hardship, the Company will consult with you and seek to agree a suitable arrangement prior to any change.
If your role includes homeworking or hybrid working, specific arrangements will be set out separately and are subject to review.
4. Duties and Responsibilities
You will carry out the duties set out in your job description and any other reasonable tasks required by the employer from time to time. The Company may update your job description to reflect changing business needs; any major changes will be discussed with you in advance. You are expected to comply with reasonable managerial instructions and to perform your duties to the standard reasonably expected for your role.
5. Pay
Rate of Pay: £[amount] per [hour/week/month/year].
Payment Frequency: Paid [weekly/monthly] in arrears/on [day] by [method].
Deductions: Any deductions required by law (e.g. PAYE tax and National Insurance) will be made from your pay. Other deductions (for example, for overpayments or agreed benefits) will only be made with your prior written consent or where permitted by law. The Company will provide payslips detailing pay and deductions.
The Company is committed to pay practices that are fair and transparent and which meet statutory requirements, including the National Minimum/Living Wage where applicable.
6. Hours of Work
Your normal hours are [number] per week, worked between [days/times]. Reasonable additional hours may be required to meet business needs; where this is expected to be regular and substantial the Company will discuss options such as time off in lieu or other arrangements in line with policy.
Working time, rest breaks and maximum weekly working hours are provided in accordance with the Working Time Regulations. Where flexible or agile working is agreed, the specifics will be recorded separately.
7. Holiday Entitlement
You are entitled to [number] days paid holiday per holiday year, plus [public/bank] holidays. Holiday entitlement is pro-rated for part-time employees. The holiday year runs from [date] to [date].
Holiday requests must be approved in advance by your line manager. The Company will endeavour to accommodate preferences but may refuse requests where operational needs require it; any refusal will be communicated promptly with reasoning. Unused holiday should normally be taken in the holiday year in which it is due, though carry-over may be permitted in line with statutory provisions and Company policy (for example where illness prevents taking holiday).
8. Sickness and Absence
If you are unable to attend work, you must notify your manager as soon as possible on the first day of absence and provide an indication of likely duration. Failure to follow the reporting procedure may affect entitlement to pay.
You may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you meet the eligibility criteria. The Company may operate an enhanced sick pay scheme; details are set out in the Employee Handbook. The Company encourages early and open communication about health issues so that reasonable adjustments and support can be considered where appropriate.
9. Pension
You will be enrolled into the company’s workplace pension scheme if eligible, in accordance with auto-enrolment legislation. Full details of the pension scheme, contribution rates and opt-out arrangements will be provided separately.
10. Notice Periods
Employee: [notice period]
After one month’s service, at least the statutory minimum notice will apply unless a longer period is stated above. Where the Company seeks to dismiss for gross misconduct, in accordance with disciplinary policy the Company may dismiss without notice where lawfully permitted.
11. Policies and Procedures
Your employment is subject to the Company’s policies and procedures set out in the Employee Handbook, which is non-contractual unless otherwise stated. These policies include, but are not limited to, equal opportunities, disciplinary, grievance, health & safety, data protection and absence management. The Company will make copies of key policies available and will consult with employees on significant changes.
12. Changes to Terms and Conditions
The employer may make reasonable changes to these terms and conditions to reflect changing business needs or legal requirements. Where a change is significant the Company will consult with you and provide written notice of the change. In circumstances where individual consent is required, the Company will seek to obtain it; where lawful variation without consent is necessary, the Company will act reasonably and proportionately.
Signed for and on behalf of [Employer Name]:
Signature: ___________________________
Name: ______________________________
Position: ___________________________
Date: _______________________________
Signed by the Employee:
Signature: ___________________________
Name: ______________________________
Date: _______________________________
A contract of employment sets out the terms and conditions that govern the employment relationship between an employer and employee. It provides a clear written record of important arrangements such as the employee's role, place of work, working hours, pay, holiday entitlement, notice periods and other terms that apply to their employment.
A well-drafted contract gives both parties clarity about their respective rights and obligations from the outset. It also provides an important reference point during employment, particularly when dealing with changes to duties, pay, working arrangements, performance, absence or the ending of employment.
A contract of employment will typically cover:
A clear written contract helps establish a common understanding of the employment relationship and reduces uncertainty about what has been agreed. It also gives managers and employees a reliable reference point when questions arise about pay, working arrangements, responsibilities or other terms of employment.
A contract of employment is broader than the statutory written statement of employment particulars. The written statement sets out information that employers are legally required to provide to workers and employees, while a contract can contain additional contractual terms governing the employment relationship.
Employees should receive the required written statement of employment particulars at the appropriate time, with the principal statement generally required from the first day of employment. Employers should ensure that the contractual documentation provided to a new employee accurately reflects the terms that have actually been agreed.
Tip: A contract should reflect how the organisation actually operates. Avoid copying terms from another organisation or using clauses that cannot realistically be applied; unclear, contradictory or outdated contractual wording can create problems later.
Related HR resources and workflow
Explore the HR resources that may be relevant before and / or after using the Contract of employment, helping you understand the wider process, maintain appropriate documentation and follow a consistent approach.
A welcome letter to a new employee gets them excited for their first day, prepares them for orientation and gives necessary first-day info.
Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Contract of employment should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
Employment contracts should be drafted and applied in accordance with UK employment law and should accurately reflect the terms agreed between the employer and employee. Employers must also provide employees with the required written statement of employment particulars and ensure that statutory employment rights are not excluded or reduced by contractual wording.
The Employment Rights Act 1996 requires employers to provide employees and workers with specified information about their employment. The principal statement must generally be provided from the first day of employment and includes key information such as pay, working hours, holiday entitlement, place of work, notice periods and other prescribed particulars.
Contractual terms should sit alongside, rather than attempt to remove, statutory employment rights. Depending on the circumstances, relevant legislation may include the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, Working Time Regulations 1998, Equality Act 2010 and legislation covering family leave, statutory payments and other employment rights.
Employers should take care when changing contractual terms such as pay, working hours, duties, place of work or notice periods. Depending on the nature of the change and the wording of the existing contract, employee agreement or an appropriate consultation process may be required. Employers should not assume that issuing a new contract automatically gives them the right to change an existing contractual term.
The contract should make clear which provisions are contractual and which are contained within non-contractual policies or procedures. This distinction can be important when an organisation needs to update its policies or manage an employee relations issue.
Where a probationary period applies, the contract should clearly explain its duration, how performance or suitability will be assessed and what notice arrangements apply during and after probation. Notice provisions should be consistent with the statutory minimum requirements and any longer contractual entitlement agreed with the employee.
Contractual terms and the way they are applied must comply with the Equality Act 2010. Employers should ensure that contractual arrangements do not discriminate unlawfully and should consider reasonable adjustments where required for disabled employees.
Employment law, organisational structures and contractual arrangements can change over time. Employers should periodically review their contracts and associated employment documentation to ensure they remain accurate and appropriate, particularly when legislation changes or the organisation introduces significant changes to its working arrangements.
Important: A contract of employment should be tailored to the organisation and the employee's circumstances. This template provides a structured starting point but should be reviewed and adapted before use to ensure that its terms accurately reflect the employment arrangement and current legal requirements.
Yes. This template has been designed for organisations of all sizes, including small businesses, charities and growing employers. It follows UK employment law best practice and can be adapted to suit your organisation.
Our templates are developed with UK employment legislation, Acas guidance and HR best practice in mind and are reviewed and updated as relevant requirements change. However, every employment situation is different, so the template should be adapted to the circumstances and checked against the employee's contract and your organisation's procedures before use.
Yes, we highlight the areas of the document that you need to update with your own details, and where you need to make decisions to suit your situation. This saves you time and ensures that you meet best practice.
Yes. Once purchased, you'll be able to download it instantly. Templates are provided in editable format (such as .doc or .xls) so you can customise them easily, and in PDF format for easy sharing.
If you're looking for broader support, we also offer toolkits and library bundles that include the Contract of employment template, along with other HR templates and policies for fully managing your situation. These may be more cost-effective if you need deeper advice.
AI can produce a document quickly, but effective HR documentation needs to be more than well-written words. It needs to reflect relevant UK employment law, HR best practice, practical considerations and the circumstances in which it will be used. These resources have been professionally developed around that wider HR context, drawing on extensive practical experience, rather than simply generating a generic document from a prompt.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing employment contract processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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