Hiring your first employee is a multifaceted process, but it always culminates in the same thing - the signing of an employment contract. This document will allow you and your employee to be protected for the duration of your working relationship - provided, of course, that you have taken care to include all the necessary provisions in it.
Identification of both parties
The first requirement in an employment contract is to identify the stakeholders. The surnames, forenames and addresses of the employer and employee must be set down in black and white. Don't forget to indicate the date on which your new recruit will start work (and the date on which the contract ends, for a fixed-term contract), as well as his or her main place of work, and any arrangements regarding business travel.
The type of employment contract
Fixed-term or permanent contract, part-time or full-time...? During the job interview, you will have agreed on the type of contract you were going to offer your future employee. This information must be included in the employment contract at all costs, as well as the nature of the position.
Is it a contract for a blue-collar worker, an office worker, a sales representative, a home worker, etc.? What is the jobdescription? Will the recruit be taking on a managerial role? Better be precise to avoid disappointment.
Wage and fringe benefits
It is hard to imagine that you have reached the end of your recruitment process without having agreed on the level of remuneration. This step is also essential for signing your contract.
The gross salary is one of the essential elements that must appear in this legally valid document. Ideally, fringe benefits, allowances and other bonuses should also be specified.
Some useful options
Length of service conditions, mileage limit, confidentiality clause... Depending on your sector or the duties of your new recruit, certain specific provisions may be added to the employment contract. Although these are by no means compulsory, they will nevertheless help to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts that may arise over time.
Termination of the contract
By definition, an open-ended contract does not have an end date, and either party is free to terminate it unilaterally. It is therefore advisable to specify the conditions for such termination, for example, the length of the notice period or the possibility for the employee to go and work for a direct competitor. To really play it safe...
Are all these legal considerations beyond you? You don't have to deal with them alone. Your social secretariat can take care of all administrative procedures in the area of human resources.
