What is an Employment Contract?

An employment contract is an agreement with your employer that describes some of your rights and obligations as an employee.  It can be written or verbal.  In fact, sometimes a company’s employee handbook or other personnel policies can be enforceable as an employment contract.

Many employment contracts contain non-compete agreements that limit your right to work for a competitor after you leave your job.  Other employment contract include severance agreements that under certain circumstances require your employer to pay you money after your employment ends.

When your employer promises you a certain salary and benefits, once you work to earn that compensation, legally the company cannot take it back because this would be a breach of contract.  But unfortunately that happens all too often.  The employment lawyers at The Nirenberg Law Firm are trained to help you enforce your contractual rights.

Guaranteed “Term of Years” Employment Contracts

If you have a guaranteed term employment contract, then it could be a breach of contract if your employer fires you before the term is over.  For example, if you have a one year employment agreement, but you are fired for no good reason after only 3 months, you may be entitled to be paid for the 9 months remaining on your contract.  You also might have a legal claim if your employment contract limits the reasons why you can be fired, like if it says you can only be fired for “just cause.”

Restrictive Covenants in Employment Contracts

Many employment contracts have special provisions like non-compete, non-solicitation, or non-disclosure provisions, trade secret agreements, and arbitration clauses.  If possible, it is important to make sure you understand your rights and obligations before you accept a job and enter into an employment agreement since sometimes you can negotiate better terms, or even remove problematic provisions. 

But even if you have already signed an employment agreement with a restrictive covenant or another problematic term, you should consider contacting an employment lawyer to make sure you understand your legal obligations.

Understanding Your Employment Contract

Our employment law attorneys are experienced at reviewing, interpreting and explaining employment contracts in terms that make sense to you.  It is a good idea to have an employment lawyer review your new employment contract before you accept a new job.  It also can be important to discuss your current employment agreement if you are considering accepting a new job.  Similarly,  we can help you understand your rights under your current employment contract if you are having a dispute with your employer, or if you simply want to understand your rights.

Call us at 201 487-2700, or contact us online, to schedule an appointment to review your employment contract, non-compete agreement, or severance agreement.