Verstia
England & Walesemployment-contract

Employment Contract (England & Wales)

This is a static, verified master template. AI never generates the clause text below — it only helps you fill in the variable fields after you sign in.

This document's core is based on a template published by ACAS (inferred to be under OGL-3.0, from ACAS's site-wide licensing notice — not a template-specific statement). Some clauses have been rewritten or added by Verstia and have not been diff-checked against the source line by line. Verstia does not claim this document is approved by ACAS, and it has not been independently reviewed by a lawyer.

Legal basis

Employment Rights Act 1996, section 1

Section 1 requires employers to give employees a written statement of the main terms of employment on or before their first day. This template's clauses map to the section 1 required particulars.

Template preview
CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT

This contract, together with the statement of particulars it contains, sets out the terms
of employment between:

  Employer: employer name, of employer address ("the Employer"); and
  Employee: employee name, of employee address ("the Employee").

It also serves as the written statement of employment particulars required by section 1 of
the Employment Rights Act 1996.

1. JOB TITLE AND DUTIES
   The Employee is employed as job title. job description The Employee may be
   required to carry out other reasonable duties within their capability.

2. START DATE AND CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT
   Employment begins on start date. The Employee's period of continuous employment began
   on continuous employment date. This is a employment type position.
   [If fixed-term:] This is a fixed-term contract ending on fixed term end.

3. PROBATIONARY PERIOD
   probation period

4. PAY
   The Employee will be paid salary amount salary period, paid pay interval by
   bank transfer, subject to deductions required by law (income tax and National Insurance).

5. HOURS OF WORK
   Normal working hours are hours per week hours per week, worked working days.
   [If variable_hours:] The Employee's hours and days may vary, and may include evening,
   night, weekend or overtime working as reasonably required.

6. PLACE OF WORK
   The normal place of work is place of work.
   [If mobility_clause:] The Employee may be required to work at other locations of the
   Employer.

7. HOLIDAY
   The Employee is entitled to holiday days days' paid holiday per year.
   [includes_bank_holidays => "This includes" / else "This is in addition to"] the 8 bank
   and public holidays in England and Wales. Holiday pay is calculated in accordance with
   the Working Time Regulations 1998.
Variables you will fill in
  • Employer nametextrequired
  • Employer registered addresstextrequired
  • Employee nametextrequired
  • Employee addresstextrequired
  • Job titletextrequired
  • Brief description of dutiestextarea
  • Employment start datedaterequired
  • Date continuous employment begandaterequired

    Continuous employment length determines statutory rights such as redundancy pay and (currently) unfair dismissal eligibility. If no earlier employment counts, this equals the start date.

  • Employment typeselectrequired
  • Fixed-term end date (if applicable)date
  • Probationary period (e.g. 6 months)text

    ERA 1996 requires the probationary period and its conditions to be stated where one applies.

  • Salary / ratenumberrequired
  • Salary basisselectrequired
  • Pay frequencyselectrequired
  • Normal weekly hoursnumberrequired
  • Working days/patterntextrequired
  • Hours may varyboolean

    If hours or days can vary (including Sunday/night/overtime), ERA 1996 requires this to be stated.

  • Place of worktextrequired
  • May be required to work at other locationsboolean
  • Annual holiday entitlement (days)numberrequired

    Statutory minimum is 5.6 weeks (28 days for a 5-day week), which may include bank holidays. Providing less than the statutory minimum is unlawful.

  • Holiday includes bank holidaysbooleanrequired
  • Notice period (employer to employee)textrequired

    Statutory minimum notice from employer rises with service (1 week after 1 month; then 1 week per full year up to 12). Contractual notice cannot be below the statutory minimum.

  • Notice period (employee to employer)textrequired
  • Sick pay termstextarea

    Statutory Sick Pay is the legal minimum; any contractual sick pay is in addition.

  • Pension scheme detailstextarearequired

    Employers have automatic enrolment duties for eligible jobholders under the Pensions Act 2008.

  • Other benefitstextarea
  • Training entitlement / required trainingtextarea

    ERA 1996 requires any training entitlement, and any mandatory training the employee must pay for, to be stated.

  • Where disciplinary & grievance procedures are foundtextrequired

    The statement must specify the disciplinary and grievance procedures (or a reasonably accessible document). The Acas Code of Practice applies.

This information is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice on a specific situation, consult a qualified adviser or Acas (acas.org.uk).