Every employee should be given a written statement of employment that clearly lays down the rules that both you, as the employer, and they must abide by.

The statement should include your name and your employee’s name. You have to say when your employee’s present job began and when your employee’s period of continuous employment began.

You also have to give information on various terms and conditions. The terms and conditions are:

• the scale or rate of pay, including how it is worked out
• at what intervals payments will be made (weekly, monthly, etc.)
• hours of work, including normal working hours
• holidays, including public holidays, and holiday pay, including how it is worked out
• place of work
• your employee’s job title or a brief outline of the work.
As well as the statement, you must give further information on:
• sickness or injury and sick pay
• pensions and pension scheme
• length of notice to be given by you and your employee
• if the contract is ‘temporary’, an indication of the expected duration
• details of any collective agreement affecting the job.

There has to be a written note giving information about new disciplinary rights and procedures which came into effect from 1 October 2004. Finally, you also have to state whether a contracting-out certificate under the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 is in force which applies to your employee

See also: How to draw up an employment contract