Houston Employment Contract Drafting Attorney
Empower Your Workforce with Secure and Transparent Employment Contracts
Employment contracts are critical in determining the relationship, terms, and conditions between employers and employees in Texas. These agreements protect everyone’s rights and create a productive and cooperative work environment. Whether you are looking for employment or you are a business owner, understanding how employment contracts work is critical to protecting your rights.
Texas is a right-to-work state, which means you are not required to pay union dues or join a labor union. Employees are free to choose whether they want to support a union financially, even when there is one in the workplace.
Things become complicated when you consider employment-at-will contracts and the roles and responsibilities. These issues are complex, and you need legally binding agreements that offer maximum protection. We recommend always using a skilled employment contract lawyer to guide you. Our team uses its knowledge and experience to advise and give you the maximum legal protection.
Not all Employment Contracts are Equal
Even though Texas follows the employment-at-will doctrine, certain exceptions exist.
Fixed Period
Some contracts are for a fixed term and terminate after the date ends on the contract. These agreements are legally enforceable, with you stating that you will stay with your employer until a set date. Failing to honor your commitments could end in legal action against you. Employers could use probationary periods to opt out of the contract if things are not working.
Non-Compete Agreements
Non-compete agreements in Texas are enforceable with limitations on the duration and scope. For these agreements to be enforceable, they must be reasonable in terms of the time, geography, and nature of restrictions. The courts scrutinize these agreements to ensure they do not impose undue hardships on employees.
Trade Secrets and Protecting Confidential Information
Employment contracts frequently have provisions that protect trade secrets and confidential information. These include research, technology, inventions, and access to sensitive documents.
We recommend speaking with a skilled attorney before signing an employment contract. Inside the fine print could be stipulations that protect the other party but waive your rights. Your attorney will review the agreement and guide you to ensure your rights are protected. We leave nothing to chance and use our knowledge and experience to give you objective legal advice.
Helping Business Owners Draft Effective Employee Contracts
When your company needs to hire employees, there are many considerations. You want to be in compliance with all relevant federal and Texas employment laws, but you also want to protect your company’s interests in case of an employee’s misconduct. Texas law generally recognizes “at will” employment, which allows either your company or the employee to terminate the relationship for any lawful reason at any time. This type of employment is not appropriate or beneficial in every situation, however, and you may want to consider having certain individuals sign employment contracts.
At The Weisblatt Law Firm, LLC, we have experience advising businesses of all types and sizes regarding many different employment matters. We have a thorough understanding of labor laws and possible employment disputes that may arise, and we can help draft effective employment contracts with these legal issues in mind. We draft contracts for startups, small businesses, corporations, contract agencies, and more. Contact us today to discuss whether you need an employment contract and find out about our contract drafting services.
About Employment Contracts
Employment relationships can originate in different ways. You can orally agree to an employment relationship, have an implied contract based on employment handbooks and policies, or have an express employment contract signed by you and the employee. No matter how the relationship occurs, you want employees to have a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities, as well as protecting your company from unnecessary liability.
Hiring new employees can be stressful, but you can rest easier if you have a carefully drafted and executed employment contract. Such contracts can also take much of the stress out of terminating employees, as long as you do so in the appropriate manner and in accordance with the law and the contract. A sound employment contract can serve as an important protection for your business from employee complaints and legal action.
When both parties understand and agree to the terms of a contract, the terms go into effect and govern the relationship. Having a mutual agreement between your company and your employees can improve the working relationship, as you both fully recognize the nature of the relationship. However, you always want to ensure that your contract does not have unfavorable terms to your business and that it comprehensively addresses all necessary issues. This is where an experienced business attorney in Houston can help.
Common Elements of Employment Contracts
An employment contract generally eliminates the “at will” aspect of the employment relationship. With at-will employment, either party can terminate the relationship without citing good cause. This means you can terminate an employee because you simply do not get along or an employee could walk out the door at any time without penalty. This is often not the best situation for your company. For example, if you invest substantial resources to train and prepare new employees, you do not want them to simply quit for no reason a few weeks later.
Many employment contracts have specific terms of employment. While the contract is in effect, the terms generally require either the company or the employee to have good cause for terminating the relationship. The contract may also specify what constitutes good cause. This can help reduce turnover and ensure that good employees will remain with you for a certain time period, as well as giving the employee a greater sense of job security.
A contract should also address specific aspects of employment, including:
- Salary
- Bonus potential
- Benefits
- Other incentives
- Title and assignments
- Work location
- Length of the contract
While the details may vary from contract to contract, they should always be set forth in clear and unequivocal terms so the employee cannot argue about the terms at a later date. If you offer bonus potential as an incentive, you should specifically explain the criteria to receive the bonus.
The contract should address termination, including the possible reasons for termination, possible severance packages, and the consequences if either party terminates the contract without cause too early.
Employment contracts can be beneficial for both employers and employees in many situations. However, a poorly-written contract can be much worse than having no contract at all. You want to ensure that you have a skillfully drafted contract to present to prospective employees, one that addresses all necessary matters. Furthermore, if an employee wants to negotiate the terms of a contract, you should seek the advice of an experienced attorney regarding the possible effects of the employee’s wishes. Call The Weisblatt Law Firm, LLC, at (713) 666-1981 or contact the firm online today.
Why Choose Us?
Employment contracts can be confusing with all of the various stipulations. You can find some common elements, but each agreement is unique. We recommend speaking with a skilled employment contract attorney about your situation.
The attorneys at the Weisblatt Law Firm have decades of experience working on various employment contracts. We use our knowledge and experience to create employment contracts that protect you and withstand legal scrutiny.
Andrew Weisblatt is our founder, and he started the firm to level the playing field for ordinary people. He has worked as an in-house counsel for numerous multinational corporations and helped them to create effective employment contracts. He offers the same service as the high-priced lawyers large corporations use.
Employment contracts are complex, and numerous factors are involved in creating a legally binding one. The attorneys at the Weisblatt Law Firm will draft, advise, and guide you with your employment contracts. We offer a free telephone consultation where you can speak with a skilled attorney about your situation. Contact us now at (713) 666-1981 to schedule your free phone consultation with an employment contract attorney.
How We Can Help
Getting objective and practical advice about employment contracts takes time and effort. Different provisions in the fine print restrict what you can do. We recommend speaking with one of our skilled contract attorneys about your situation.
Whether you are an employee or a business owner, you will get customized legal advice. Your attorney is knowledgeable and experienced with employment contracts and will effectively guide you. We have worked on different types of contracts and received five-star reviews for our knowledge, skill, and experience.
Our attorneys will explain everything in simple terms and work with you to create a solution that protects you. You have rights, and an employment contract must follow specific standards to be enforceable. Anything less could expose you to litigation and regulatory challenges.
Your attorney will review the situation and discuss the different avenues we can pursue. Our advice will give you the maximum legal protections and ensure the agreement safeguards your interests.
Contact us now at (713) 666-1981 to schedule your free telephone consultation with a skilled employment contract lawyer.
Attorney Andrew Weisblatt
Mr. Weisblatt has practiced continuously since becoming licensed in 1992 and has represented businesses ranging in size from one person start-up ventures to multi-national corporations employing hundreds of people in multiple countries. From 2005 through 2009 Mr. Weisblatt was in-house counsel and chief operating officer of a multi-national corporation in the steel products industry. That in-house position provided valuable insight into how businesses work and what they actually need from their lawyers – both in-house and outside counsel. Attorney Bio
