Employment contract
Hire someone properly,
without the HR cost
UK employment contracts that hit every day-1 requirement under the Employment Rights Act 1996. Probation, notice, IP, confidentiality — drafted by AI, signed online.
Who it's for
Built for the people who actually use it
Small business owners
First hire or fiftieth — get the paperwork right without retaining a lawyer.
Founders making first hires
Equity, IP assignment, garden leave — all configurable in plain English.
Apprentice & trainee contracts
Specialised wording for apprenticeships and fixed-term roles.
What's in the contract
Every clause you actually need
Drafted in plain English by AI, jurisdiction-aware, editable line-by-line. No legalese unless you want it.
Parties, start date & job title
Day-1 written particulars under the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Pay & benefits
Salary, bonus structure, pension auto-enrolment, expenses.
Hours & place of work
Standard, flexible, hybrid or remote working arrangements.
Holiday & sick pay
Statutory minimum (5.6 weeks) plus optional enhanced sick pay.
Probation period
Configurable 3–6 month probation with shortened notice.
Notice periods
Statutory minimum scaled by length of service, plus contractual options.
Confidentiality & IP
Work product ownership and confidentiality of company info.
Post-termination restrictions
Non-compete, non-solicit, non-deal — drafted conservatively.
Disciplinary & grievance
References to your handbook or built-in ACAS-aligned procedures.
How it works
From blank page to signed PDF in 3 steps
Describe in plain English
Tell SigningVault who's involved and what you're agreeing. The AI drafts the right contract with the right clauses.
Tweak in seconds
Edit any line, swap clauses, change jurisdiction. Add signature fields with a click.
Send & sign
Recipients get a private signing link by email. They sign in-browser — no account, no app. You both get the sealed PDF.
Day-1 compliant under the Employment Rights Act 1996
Since April 2020, all employees and workers must receive a written statement of particulars on day one of employment. SigningVault's employment contract satisfies the full section 1 requirements and is enforceable as a deed when signed electronically under UK eIDAS.
Restrictive covenants are drafted to be reasonable in scope and duration, drawing on tested wording from TFS Derivatives Ltd v Morgan [2004] and similar cases — striking a balance enforceability and protection.
- Day-1 written particulars compliant
- ACAS-aligned grievance & disciplinary
- Reasonable restrictive covenants
- Tribunal-admissible audit trail
FAQ
Common questions
Is an electronically signed employment contract legally binding?+
Yes. Under UK & EU eIDAS, the US ESIGN Act, and UETA, employment contracts can be signed electronically and are fully enforceable. SigningVault's audit trail is admissible as evidence at employment tribunal.
What must a UK employment contract include by law?+
The Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended in 2020) requires written particulars on day one: parties, start date, pay, hours, holiday, place of work, job title or description, sick pay, notice periods, and probationary terms. SigningVault drafts all of these by default.
Can I include a probation period?+
Yes. SigningVault adds a configurable probation period (commonly 3–6 months) with shorter notice during probation and standard notice after.
What about IP and confidentiality?+
SigningVault's employment contract includes IP assignment (work created in employment is owned by the employer) and confidentiality clauses by default — both standard and enforceable.
Are post-termination restrictions (non-competes) enforceable?+
Reasonable restrictive covenants (non-compete, non-solicit, non-deal) are enforceable in the UK if they're no wider than necessary to protect a legitimate business interest. SigningVault drafts conservative, court-tested wording.
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NDA generator
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Freelance contract
Project-by-project work without an employment relationship.
All eSignature features
Electronic execution under UK & EU eIDAS.
AI contract drafting
How AI drafts UK-specific employment clauses.
All templates
Every contract type SigningVault drafts.
Draft yours in under 60 seconds
No credit card. No templates to wade through. Just describe the agreement and SigningVault writes it.