Many types of employment are subject to a contract. Employment contracts can benefit both the employer and the employee. This document should clearly lay out both your rights and obligations when you have a job. An employment contract specifies clear expectations and prohibits certain types of conduct. At the same time, you also have certain legal protections if your employer violated the contract. You always have the ability to file a lawsuit against your employer if you have been wrongfully terminated. Contact an experienced employment attorney to learn more about your legal rights. Here are some of the types of employment contracts you should know about.
At-Will Employment
The majority of United States workers have contracts that are at will. This means that you do not have a continued right to employment, and your employer can terminate you for any reason. They do not have to give you notice. At the same time, you can leave your job without giving your employer a reason or notice. At-will employment contracts lay out the terms and conditions of your employment, including how much you are to be paid and certain prohibitions on your conduct. Although at-will employment gives your employer a broad right to terminate you, they cannot violate the law by doing so. For example, your termination cannot be the result of employment discrimination.
Fixed-Term Contracts
The employer may want to hire you for a set amount of time or until a certain task is completed. Thus, you may sign a fixed-term contract that specifies the exact duration of your employment or the task that needs to be done. When the contract is over, your employment will end. An employer may choose to negotiate a renewal of a fixed-term contract at its conclusion.
Freelance Contracts
You may not actually be employed by a company. They may pay you to complete a certain task without considering you to be an actual employee. In a freelance contract, you would typically not receive employee benefits, and you would have fewer protections. As an independent contractor, you would perform certain duties for the employer as specified in your agreement. Typically, you would have a statement of work and a rate of pay that is laid out in the agreement. The company owes you no expectation of continued employment because they are not an actual employer.
Full-Time Contracts
A full-time contract would give you far more protection than you would have in an at-will agreement. Here, you would have a continued expectation of employment so long as you complied with the terms of the contract. A full-time contract should specify your job duties and expectations of the tasks that you would perform. You can still be terminated under a full-time contract if you do not follow the agreement. At the same time, you may face repercussions for leaving your job if you agree to this contract.
Part-Time Contracts
If you have signed a part-time contract, you are still an employee, albeit without many of the same benefits as a full-time employee. You may still have an expectation of employment, although you may have fewer protections. A part-time contract would cover employment arrangements that are for less than the standard 35 to 40 hours per week.
No matter what type of employment contract you have, the employer still has an obligation to follow federal and state laws in your employment. If they violate either the contract or anti-discrimination laws, you may be able to sue for financial compensation. Employment lawsuits are not necessarily easy, but you could hold the employer accountable for wrongful conduct.
Contact the South Jersey Employment Lawyers at The Law Offices of Leo B. Dubler, III, LLC Today
If you need to negotiate an employment contract or file a lawsuit pursuant to one that you have already signed, reach out to the South Jersey employment lawyers at The Law Offices of Leo B. Dubler, III, LLC. Call us at 856-235-7075 or complete our firm’s contact form to schedule a free initial consultation. With offices located in Mount Laurel and Atlantic City, New Jersey, we serve clients in Cherry Hill, Burlington County, Camden County, and South Jersey.