Small businesses are wonderful places to work. They often have a family feel, and people often care about each other in a special way that’s just not possible with a big corporation. But even in a small business, employee contracts are important to protect both the business and the employees themselves. Talk to a business lawyer in El Paso to make sure your contracts do everything you intend and are legally enforceable.
Texas is an “at-will” state, which means unless there is a contract in place, neither the employee nor the employer is bound to the relationship. Once a contract is signed, however, both parties are required to keep to the terms of the contract, and Texas’s “at-will” employment rules don’t supersede the contract so long as the contract is valid.
What Your Contracts Should Cover
Description of the Job Itself
You need to describe exactly what the job is and what it entails, and it’s important to lay all this out as clearly as possible so you minimize the possibility of confusion. If you do need to dismiss an employee for not fulfilling job duties as required, you’ll need to be able to point to what those job duties actually are.
Description of the Compensation and Benefits
Next, you need to clearly explain everything that you are offering to the employee in consideration for their work. Salary will obviously be important here, but you’ll also need to specify anything else that comes with the package, such as insurance, housing or travel allowance, or reimbursements for other items.
If there are choices that the employee is free to make about these benefits, that also needs to be clear. Be sure to specify when an employee will receive all the various items in the benefits package.
How Long the Contract Lasts and How It Can Be Ended
The way you word these elements can make it easier or more difficult to hold onto an employee that you want to keep. Be sure to specify all conditions under which the contract can be ended early, as well.
In some cases, you may want to list out in detail everything that could cause you to terminate an employee, but in other cases, you may want to simply include terms like “with cause.” Explain when an employee can end the contract early and delineate specific consequences for both parties for early termination.
End-of-Employment Issues
There are all kinds of things that could go in here, such as requirements about the amount of notice that needs to be given before an employee quits or before you fire them, non-disclosure agreements, non-competition agreements, etc. Talk with a lawyer to make sure you’re protected.
Talk With a Business Lawyer in El Paso Today
Contracts are binding, even on a small, family-run business. For help ensuring that your contracts are valid and protect your business and your employees, contact the Law Office of Albert Nabhan, PLLC in El Paso or Odessa, TX.
Connect with us
