When drafted properly, employment contracts give employees and employers clear guidance concerning both parties’ rights and responsibilities to one another during their working relationship. If executed at the start of employment, these agreements could even reduce the likelihood of future disputes, sparing both parties from having to expend time and energy on costly litigation.
A Georgia employment contracts lawyer could represent you during negotiations and advise you on the types of provisions that should be included in your agreement. Our team could even draft an employment agreement on your behalf. Should a contract dispute arise, a seasoned employment law attorney could also provide you with zealous legal representation during arbitration or court proceedings.
In Georgia, employers do not have to enter into contracts with their workers. However, employers and employees may mutually decide to execute an agreement. Employment contracts have many benefits, such as protection from wrongful termination and protection of trade secrets.
If you are an employee, an employment contract that contains termination provisions could provide you with increased protection from being fired or discharged at-will by your employer. Work agreements may also outline your compensation schedule, bonus structure, and benefits packages, providing you with proof that you are entitled to specific compensation if a dispute arises.
As an employer, you might find that entering into employment contracts with key personnel could protect your business from outside competition. For example, you could include a non-compete clause in your agreement that restricts employees’ from working for competing companies or establishing competing companies after leaving their job. Similarly, if you want to protect trade secrets or proprietary information from your competition, you could insert a non-disclosure provision in the employment contract.
There are many advantages to hiring legal counsel to execute an employment contract. An attorney could evaluate your agreement to determine if your rights are being protected.
It is crucial that the terms of your employment agreement are clear and specific. Certain provisions that you may consider including in your contract include:
An agreement might also detail both parties’ ability to arbitrate or litigate contract disputes, where they may file claims, and the state laws governing such conflicts. A dedicated employment contracts attorney could help you draft an agreement that contains all of these critical provisions.
Even if terms of your agreement are clearly outlined, disputes may still arise. In these cases, an attorney could help you file a claim and advocate for you during legal proceedings.
Before executing an employer-employee agreement, you should speak with an attorney at Sparks Law. A Georgia employment contracts attorney could explain the advantages of executing an agreement advise you on the types of contract provisions to include in the document. Reach out to our office to find out what we could do for you.