At Gale Law Group, we provide expert employment contract review and writing services designed to protect both employers and employees. Whether you’re entering a new job or hiring a key team member, having a well-drafted employment contract is crucial to ensuring that your rights and interests are safeguarded. Our experienced legal team meticulously reviews every detail of existing contracts to identify potential risks and ambiguities, or we can draft customized contracts that reflect your unique needs. Trust Gale Law Group to provide the legal expertise needed to create clear, fair, and enforceable employment agreements.
Employment contracts are important for determining the relationship, terms, and conditions between employers and employees. They protect everyone’s rights, so a more productive and cooperative work environment can be created. Whether you’re looking for employment or are a business owner who is looking for the right employee, you need to know how employment contracts work if you want to keep your rights protected.
Texas is a right-to-work state, so you’re not required to pay union dues or join a labor union. Employees can choose whether they want to financially support a union, even if there is one in the workplace. Things get more complicated when it comes to employment-at-will contracts with regard to their roles and responsibilities. These types of issues can get complicated, so you need a legally binding agreement that will give you the most protection. It’s always a good idea to use an attorney who has experience with employment contracts to help you.
How Employment Relationships Are Created
Employment relationships can manifest in a variety of ways. You can have an oral agreement to a specific employment relationship, have an implied contract that’s based on employment handbooks and policies, or have a written employment contract that’s signed by you and the employee. Regardless of how the relationship started, you want your employees to have a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities because it will protect your company from any unnecessary liabilities.
Hiring new employees can be a stressful experience. But if you have an employment contract that has been carefully drafted and executed, it can make the process easier. They can also take away some of the stress associated with having to terminate an employee (as long as you do it appropriately as well as in accordance with the law and the terms of the contract). Having a mutual understanding between you and your employees can improve the working relationship because everyone understands its nature, but you want to make sure your contract doesn’t have any terms that aren’t favorable to your business and that it addresses all the important issues.
Important Parts of Texas Employment Contracts
An employment contract usually eliminates the “at will” part of the employment relationship, because either party can terminate the relationship without any good reason. You can terminate employees because you didn’t get along with them, and there’s nothing that’s stopping an employee from walking away at any time without consequence or penalty (which isn’t the best situation for your company).
A lot of Texas employment contracts have specific terms of employment. And while they’re in effect, the terms usually require the company or the employee to have a good reason for terminating the relationship. The contract may also specify what’s considered to be “good cause,” which can reduce turnover and make sure that good employees will stay with you for a certain period. This will give your employees a greater sense of job security.
A good employment contract should also address specific issues related to employment, which include the following:
- Salary.
- Bonus potential.
- Benefits.
- Other incentives.
- Title and assignments.
- Work location.
- Length of the contract.
While the details may vary from one contract to another, they should always have clear and unequivocal terms so there can be no arguments at a later date. If you offer bonus potential as an incentive, the contract should have a specific explanation about the criteria for receiving it. The contract should also address areas related to termination, including the reasons for termination, possible severance packages, and the consequences of terminating the contract too early without cause.
The Legal Requirements for Texas Employment Contracts
Employment contracts in the State of Texas must follow the requirements listed in Texas Contract Law and the Texas Labor Code. It’s a common practice to have these contracts in writing, but oral agreements with a duration of less than one year can also be enforced. A lot of people think of employment contracts as a written contract with specific terms and conditions. While this is one type of employment contract, other written documents can be legally binding. Some of them include the following:
- Verbal agreements.
- Implied agreements based on conduct and representations.
- Other letters.
- Employee handbooks.
- Company notice boards.
- Emails.
Contracts can be created from a number of communication methods and actions. One important part that must be included in an employment contract to make it legally binding is a specific term of employment or any causes for termination, which can be interpreted as “at will” and leave an employee vulnerable to termination for any reason.
If you’re looking for an attorney in Corpus Christi to help you with Texas employment contracts, be sure to get in touch with Gale Law Group.