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Employment Agreement

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EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This Agreement made as of the day of , 20 , between (the “Company”) and (the “Employee”).

WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ Employee for the period and upon and subject to the terms herein provided; and

WHEREAS, the Company desires to be assured that Employee (i) will not compete with the Company for the period and within the geographical areas hereinafter specified and (ii) will not employ or disclose any of the Company’s proprietary or confidential information;

WHEREAS, Employee is willing to agree to be employed by the Company upon and subject to the terms herein provided;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt, adequacy and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

1. Term of Employment; Compensation. The Company agrees to employ Employee from the date hereof as an employee from the date hereof through , 20 , or until the earlier termination of this Agreement pursuant to the terms hereof. The Company will pay Employee base pay for his services rendered hereunder at an initial annual rate of $ . Employee’s salary shall be paid in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll practices for all as determined by the Company, subject only to such payroll and withholding deductions as are required by law and such other payroll deductions, as are determined by the Company policy or as Employee may approve.

2. Office and Duties. Employee shall fit the position of and shall have the duties normally ascribed to those positions and as assigned to him by the Company from time to time in its sole discretion. Employee shall act at all times to promote the Company’s business and best interests. Employee shall devote substantially all business time, labor, skill, undivided attention and best ability to the performance of his duties hereunder in a manner which will faithfully and diligently further and expanding the business and interests of the Company.

3. Termination of Employment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Employee’s employment shall terminate on the death of the Employee and may be terminated by the Company, as follows:

(a) For cause, that is to say in the event of Employee’s failure, refusal or inability satisfactorily to perform the services required hereunder, or to carry out any proper direction by the Company with respect to the services to be rendered hereunder or the manner of rendering such services, willful misconduct in the performance of his duties hereunder, or conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude.

(b) For cause, upon not less than days’ notice to Employee if prevented by illness, accident or other disability (mental or physical) from discharging the duties hereunder for one or more periods totaling months during any consecutive 12 month period.

(c) For cause, for any material breach by the Employee of the terms hereof, but only upon not less than 30 days’ written notice to the Employee specifying the breach relied on for such termination.

4. Confidentiality. Employee shall not, either during the period of his employment with the Company or thereafter, reveal or disclose to any person outside the Company or use to his own benefit, any marketing technique or cost method, or any customer, mailing or supplier list, whether or not supplied by the Company, and whether or not made, developed and/or conceived by Employee or by others in the employ of the Company. Upon the termination of Employee’s employment in any manner or for any reason, Employee shall promptly surrender to the Company all copies of any of the foregoing, together with any other documents, materials, data, information and equipment belonging to or relating to the Company’s business and in his possession, custody or control, and Employee shall not thereafter retain or deliver to any other person, any of the foregoing or any summary or memorandum thereof.

5. Restriction. Employee agrees that during the period of his employment hereunder and for 24 months from termination of employment for any reason, whichever date is later:

(a) Employee will not hold an interest, directly or indirectly, as an investor in any other business or enterprise, operating within the geographic area served by the Company, whose business is similar to that of the Company or which is engaged in competition with the Company; and

(b) Employee will not, directly or indirectly for his own account or as investor, employee, consultant, officer, director, partner, joint venturer or otherwise, engage within the geographic area served by the Company, in any phase of the business in which the Company is engaged at the time of termination of employment or otherwise compete with the Company in such geographic area.

6. No Solicitation. Employee will not during the period of his employment hereunder and for a period of months after termination of employment for any reason solicit or attempt to induce, directly or indirectly, any employee of the Company to accept employment with a competitor of the Company or with any business or enterprise intending to compete with the Company.

7. Severability. Employee and the Company are of the belief that the period of time and the area herein specified in 5 and 6 above are reasonable in view of the nature of the business in which the Company is engaged the state of its development and Employee’s knowledge of the business. However, if such period or such area should be adjudged unreasonable in any judicial proceeding, then the period of time shall be reduced by such number of months or such area shall be reduced by elimination of such portion of such area, or both, as are deemed unreasonable, so that this covenant may be enforced in such area and during such period of time as is adjudged to be reasonable.

8. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered or mailed by first-class, registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed (a) if to Employee, to such address the Employee shall furnish to the Company in writing for the purpose; and (b) if to the Company, at its principal place of business, .

9. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the Company and the Employee with respect to the subject matter hereof and there have been no oral or other agreements of any kind whatsoever as a condition precedent or inducement to the signing of this Agreement or otherwise concerning this Agreement or the subject matter hereof.

10. Amendments. This Agreement may not be amended, nor shall any waiver, change, modification, consent or discharge be effected except by an instrument in writing executed by or on behalf of the party against whom enforcement of any waiver, change, modification, consent or discharge is sought.

11. General Provisions. Employee further agrees that his obligations hereunder shall be binding upon him irrespective of the duration of his employment by the Company, the reasons for any cessation of his employment by the Company, or the amount of his compensation and shall survive the termination of this Agreement (whether such termination is by the Company, by the Employee, upon expiration of this Agreement or otherwise).

Employee represents and warrants to the Company that he is not now under any obligations to any person, firm or corporation, and has no other interest which is inconsistent or in conflict with this Agreement, or which would prevent, limit or impair, in any way, the performance by him of any of the covenants or his duties in his employment hereunder.

12. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, construed and enforced in accordance with the law (other than the law governing conflict of law questions) of the State of .

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed or caused to be executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

COMPANY

By:

Title:

EMPLOYEE

Enter text✕

What an Employment Agreement Is and when it’s used

An Employment Agreement is a written contract that defines the working relationship between an employer and an employee, including duties, compensation, start date, confidentiality, and termination terms. It establishes mutual expectations and reduces ambiguity by recording obligations, restrictive covenants, and benefits. Employment agreements can be fixed-term or at-will, may include arbitration or non-compete provisions where enforceable, and are legally binding whether signed on paper or electronically when they meet e-signature legal requirements under ESIGN and applicable state law.

Why using a clear Employment Agreement matters

A written Employment Agreement clarifies role and pay, reduces disputes, supports regulatory compliance, and documents consent to restrictive covenants or confidentiality obligations. Properly executed agreements also create an evidentiary record for payroll, benefits, and compliance audits.

Why using a clear Employment Agreement matters

Primary users and stakeholders for Employment Agreements

Employment agreements are prepared and used by human resources, hiring managers, business owners, in-house counsel, and external attorneys when legal review is required.

  • HR managers and recruiters who issue offer letters and maintain personnel files for compliance and payroll.
  • Small-business owners and hiring executives who need clear terms for new hires and contractors.
  • Company legal teams and outside counsel who draft, review, and negotiate enforceable clauses.

Use consistent templates and legal review for jurisdictional variations; recordkeeping practices and signature method should match company compliance policies.

Representative signers and document owners

HR Director

An HR Director typically prepares and issues the agreement, ensures payroll and benefits entries are correct, and retains the signed record for compliance and audit purposes.

Authorized Officer

An authorized company officer or hiring manager signs on behalf of the employer, confirming authority to bind the business and confirming compensation and reporting lines.

Core elements to include in a professional Employment Agreement

A complete Employment Agreement should address identity of parties, role and duties, compensation and benefits, term and termination, confidentiality and IP, and governing law. Each section should be specific to reduce ambiguity and support enforceability.

Parties

Identify the employer legal entity and the employee by full legal name and, for individuals, include date of birth or other identifier if needed for payroll verification.

Duties & Title

Describe the position, responsibilities, reporting relationships, and any required certifications or licensure required to perform the role.

Compensation

Specify salary or wage, pay frequency, bonus eligibility, equity grants, reimbursement policy, and any withholdings or deductions for taxes and benefits.

Term & Termination

State whether employment is at-will or for a fixed term, notice periods, severance triggers, and conditions for immediate termination.

Confidentiality & IP

Include obligations to protect trade secrets, assignment of work product, and any post-termination confidentiality obligations and time limits.

Governing Law

Name the state whose law governs interpretation and dispute resolution, and specify venue or arbitration clauses if applicable.

Key data fields required for completion

Employee Name: Full legal name
Employer Name: Legal business name
Tax Identifier: SSN or TIN for payroll
Job Title: Official position title
Compensation: Salary, wage, or rate
Start Date: MM/DD/YYYY format

Step-by-step: preparing and executing an Employment Agreement

Follow a consistent sequence from drafting through signature capture and retention to ensure legal enforceability and accurate personnel records.

  • 01
    Prepare draft: Draft terms, compensation, and clauses relevant to the role.
  • 02
    Legal review: Have counsel review restrictive covenants and compliance items.
  • 03
    Sign electronically: Assign signers, set authentication, and collect signatures.
  • 04
    Store record: Save the signed agreement to HR and payroll systems.

Configuring an online signing workflow for employment agreements

A reliable e-sign workflow assigns fields, defines signer order, sets authentication, and configures reminders and document retention to match HR processes.

Field Configuration
Signature field Assign to employee and employer signers
Authentication method Email link with optional SMS code
Template name Employment Agreement template
Reminder schedule Auto-remind after 3 days

Where to send or submit the signed agreement

Decide routing to ensure each stakeholder receives a copy and the signed record is stored in the right systems for payroll, benefits, and compliance.

  • Send to signer: Email or secure link to employee for signature
  • Employer record: Save final PDF to HR file and personnel system
  • Payroll entry: Provide compensation details to payroll team
  • Legal retention: Store master copy with legal counsel when required

Technical considerations for electronic execution

Ensure the signing platform supports required formats, signer authentication, and an auditable trail before starting remote signing.

  • File formats: Accept PDF and DOCX files
  • Integrations: Connect with HRIS, payroll, and cloud storage
  • Authentication: Support email, SMS, or multi-factor

Confirm platform compliance needs—ESIGN/UETA support, HIPAA BAA if handling health data, and accessible audit logs for future disputes or audits.

Typical timing and deadlines to track

Track acceptance, start date, benefits enrollment, and probation milestones so obligations and eligibility dates are clear to all parties.

Offer acceptance deadline:

Commonly 3–7 business days to accept an offer

Employment start date:

Enter as Effective Date in MM/DD/YYYY format

Probation period end:

Typically 30–90 days, specify exact end date

Benefits enrollment window:

Often within 30 or 60 days of start date

Notice period for resignation:

Specify employee notice requirement, e.g., 2 weeks

Common legal risks and penalties of errors

I-9 compliance: Civil fines $281–$2,789
Wage claims: Back pay and liquidated damages possible
Misclassification: Penalties and tax liability
Invalid covenant: Non-compete may be unenforceable in some states
Confidentiality breach: Injunctions and damages risk
Recordkeeping violations: Regulatory fines and audit exposure

Practical tips to complete Employment Agreements correctly

Follow these best practices to reduce disputes and improve processing for hiring and HR administration.

Use consistent, plain-language clauses
Write duties, compensation, and termination triggers in clear terms to reduce interpretation disputes and ensure payroll aligns with contractual promises.
Specify governing law and venue
Choose the governing state and dispute venue to avoid later jurisdictional arguments; consult counsel for employee-facing statutory protections.
Document consideration and benefits
Record any signing bonuses, relocation allowances, or deferred compensation precisely to avoid later wage or tax disputes.
Keep versioned records
Retain each signed version and log amendments with dates and signer attributions to prove contract history in audits or litigation.

How organizations use signed Employment Agreements

These real-world examples illustrate common ways employers collect and manage signed agreements while protecting records and streamlining onboarding.

Optica Ventures (COO)

Optica deployed an electronic template to standardize offers and onboarding

  • Rapid signature capture reduced paperwork
  • The company centralized signed records for payroll and compliance, improving new-hire processing and audit readiness.

Martin Properties (Founder)

Martin Properties used online agreements for remote hires

  • Mobile signing allowed field hires to accept offers quickly
  • Signed agreements were stored in the corporate HR system and tied to payroll entries to prevent errors.

Comparing e-sign providers for executing Employment Agreements

Feature and price comparisons help choose an e-sign provider that meets compliance, volume, and integration needs. signNow appears first to show a baseline of common features.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day free trial Varies by vendor Varies by vendor Varies by vendor Varies by vendor
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes Varies
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Frequently asked questions about Employment Agreements and e-signing

Answers to common questions about legal validity, signature methods, storage, and what to do if terms change after signing.


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