Simon asks "I have been working in my job for the last 8 months but I have never received a contract of employment. Is this right?"


You must receive a written statement of 5 core terms within 5 days of starting your job:

  1. The full names of the employer and employee.

  2. The address of the employer.

  3. The expected duration of the contract (if the contract is temporary or fixed-term).

  4. The rate or method of calculating pay and the pay reference period e.g. weekly, fortnightly or monthly.

  5. What the employer reasonably expects the normal length of your working day and week to be, in a normal working day and in a normal working week.

You must receive a written statement of the remaining terms of employment (your contract) within 2 months of starting work:

  1. The place of work.

  2. The title of the job or the nature of the work.

  3. The date the employment started.

  4. Pay intervals (for example, weekly or monthly).

  5. Any terms or conditions relating to hours of work (including overtime).

  6. Paid leave (other than sick leave), including annual leave and public holiday entitlement.

  7. Sick pay.

  8. Pension and pension schemes.

  9. Period of notice to be given by employer or employee.

  10. Details of any collective agreements that may affect your terms of employment.

The employer must sign and date the statement of terms, but there is no requirement for the employee to sign it. The employer must keep a copy during the period of your employment and for at least a year after it ends.