Scenario: You are a star on the rise in the world of business and have just been offered your first executive-level position. While you are excited about this new chapter in your career, it means that you will have different considerations as you move up in the company.
One of the first, and arguably most important, considerations is your new employment contract. In the unlikely event that you have been offered this position without a contract, your first step is to ask for one. Having a solid and legally-binding employment contract is your first line of protection against potential employment issues.
Once you have determined that a contract between you and your employer is a reality, you now have the important task of reviewing the contract. You want it to be balanced on both sides, but you also want it to take your current and future needs into consideration.
Since you have never signed a C-Level employment contract, some of the language can be tricky. As it is legally-binding, it is very important to make sure you understand and agree with all elements of the contract as well as its terminology. This is where you would benefit greatly from legal assistance.
As employment lawyers serving many of Detroit’s most elite executives, we know that even a simple misused word can change the entire meaning of your contract. As such, one of the most common pieces of advice we give to new executives is to have an attorney representing you and only you help you review your contract. This ensures the removal of any tricky language or terminology that may harm you if and when your employment ends.
We also advise our readers to become familiar with executive-level employment law. A great place to start is our legal website, which contains up-to-date and authoritative information.