Employment Contract Templates
Free employment templates for employers, HR teams, hiring managers and employees. Every one includes a guided form, a live preview and instant PDF or Word download.
About employment agreements
A employment agreement records the terms on which someone is engaged: role, pay, hours, benefits, confidentiality and how the relationship can end.
Employment paperwork is more heavily regulated than most contracts. Getting worker classification, overtime eligibility or final-pay timing wrong exposes an employer to back pay, penalties and interest.
Employment terms sit on top of statutory rights that cannot be contracted away. Where a clause conflicts with minimum wage law, overtime rules or anti-discrimination protections, the statute wins.
For employers, HR teams and employees
For HR teams, employers and employees
For employers and departing employees
For employers, executives and sales teams
For businesses engaging contractors and the contractors themselves
For employers, interns, apprentices and volunteers
For employers and remote or hybrid employees
For businesses, employees and anyone sharing sensitive information
For employers and employees receiving relocation or asset benefits
For employers, clients, creators and inventors
For employers and departing employees or partners
For recruiters, staffing agencies and hiring employers
For employers protecting business interests and employees assessing restrictions
For companies, advisers and consultants
For employers and employees
For coaches, trainers and their clients
For employers, payroll teams and hourly employees
For companies and independent sales representatives
Common mistakes in employment agreements
- Misclassifying the worker. Calling someone a contractor does not make them one. Regulators look at control, integration and economic dependence. Misclassification is one of the most expensive employment errors there is.
- Overbroad non-compete clauses. Several states restrict or ban non-competes outright, and courts elsewhere routinely narrow them. A clause limited in time, geography and scope stands a far better chance than a blanket one.
- Vague 'at-will' language. If the agreement promises a fixed term or lists dismissal grounds, it may displace at-will employment without the employer realising. Keep the intent consistent throughout.
- Ignoring final pay deadlines. Many states require final wages within a set number of days of termination — sometimes immediately on dismissal. Penalties for missing the deadline can exceed the wages owed.
- No IP assignment clause. Without an express assignment, work created by an employee may not transfer as cleanly as employers assume, particularly for material created outside working hours.
- Failing to update after a promotion. Terms agreed for a junior role rarely fit a senior one. Issue a revised agreement rather than relying on the original.
Employment questions
Is an employment contract required by law?
A full contract is not always mandatory, but most jurisdictions require employers to give written notice of key terms — pay rate, pay frequency and job duties — within a short window of hiring. A written agreement satisfies that and removes ambiguity.
Can employment terms be changed later?
Not unilaterally. A material change to pay, hours or duties normally needs the employee's agreement, recorded in a signed variation or a fresh agreement. Imposing changes without consent risks a constructive dismissal claim.
Does this agreement override state employment law?
No. Statutory rights on minimum wage, overtime, leave and discrimination apply regardless of what the contract says. A clause that undercuts them is unenforceable to that extent, and the rest of the agreement usually survives.
Should the employee get a copy before starting?
Yes, and ideally several days beforehand. An agreement presented on the first morning with an expectation of immediate signature is more vulnerable to challenge, particularly where it contains restrictive covenants.