When you’re presented with an employment contract, it’s your job to thoroughly review it to ensure that you understand the terms and conditions. You should only sign it if you’re 100 percent comfortable with the details, and fully understand the impact on your potential employment.
While you hope you understand everything, there’s a chance you’ll have some questions or concerns. Here are some of the points you may need to discuss with HR before signing:
- Pay schedule: If it’s not outlined in your employment contract, ask about the pay schedule, which includes how often you’re paid and the manner in which you receive your money.
- Benefits: Even if all your benefits are outlined in the employment contract, you may still have questions about some or all of them. For example, it’s not good enough to know that the company provides you with health insurance. You need to understand the details of the policy, as this will impact your finances and potentially your health.
- Reasons for termination: It’s awkward to ask about this, but it’s better than signing an employment contract you don’t understand. If you’re unsure of why your employment can be terminated, ask for clarification.
Once you sign an employment contract, keep it nearby just in case you need it while you’re an employee of the company. You never know if it’ll come in handy, such as if you don’t receive the appropriate benefits or you’re terminated for some reason (perhaps illegally).
In the event of an employment contract breach, review it, learn more about your legal rights and devise a plan for protecting them.