Setting up Employee Terms and Conditions
SETTING OUT THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE:
- You and your employees need to know where they stand
- Some elements are regulated by Jersey law*
- Some may be the subject of collective agreement between trade union and employer
- Clarity about terms and conditions can avoid many disputes
- Morale is assisted by understanding the basic rules of the employment relationship
WHAT MUST BE COVERED BY THE WRITTEN STATEMENT OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS?**
- Employer’s name, employee’s name, job title and date employment started
- Pay rate/scale and method of calculation
- The interval between payments and payment method e.g. bank transfer
- Working hours and overtime requirements
- Holidays (including public) and holiday pay
- Probationary (or trial) period
- Sickness/injury and associated pay arrangements
- Maternity leave
- Pensions
- Redundancy arrangements
- Disciplinary and grievance procedures
- Period of notice required but not less than the legal requirement
- Expiry date where the contract is for a fixed term
The written statement should be given to the new employee at the earliest opportunity but must be within 4 weeks of starting employment as required by Jersey law.
CAN THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS BE CHANGED?
- This is best achieved by agreement with your employee
- Changes should be notified to your employee within 4 weeks of the change
- Where an employer’s name changes, immediate notification is required
WHERE TO GO FOR HELP
- The Jersey Advisory and Conciliation Service is available to give free advice on this and all other employment relations matters. Just give them a ring on 730503.
*The law of contract is the framework for the employment relationship in Jersey such as the employer’s duty of care and the employee’s duty of good faith in the performance of the job.
**The Employment (Jersey) Law 2003 requires a written statement with many specific items which need to be covered.
- The termination of employment provisions are also important.