Purpose
State the agreement's goals and employment relationship, clarifying whether it is a condition of employment, a supplement to the handbook, or a role-specific requirement tied to compensation.
Use an Employee Responsibilities Agreement to set clear expectations, reduce misunderstandings, and document obligations that affect performance and compliance. It supports consistent HR decisions, reinforces confidentiality and IP protections, and supplies documented evidence useful in investigations or employment disputes.
Employers, HR teams, and hiring managers use Employee Responsibilities Agreements to set expectations, protect assets, and manage performance across roles and locations.
Keep a signed copy in the employee file and circulate updates to stakeholders when duties or policies change to preserve continuity and reduce legal risk.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Configure signer order and roles | Sequential signing enforced; employer signs before employee. |
| Select recipient authentication method and level | Email link or SMS code; use stronger KBA for sensitive roles. |
| Add conditional fields for sections | Show discipline or confidentiality fields when applicable. |
| Attach exhibits, policies, or job descriptions | Upload PDFs; link policies as appendices to preserve context. |
Digital signing works with modern browsers and mobile apps; set authentication, storage, and integrations before sending for signature.
Must use MM/DD/YYYY; affects when obligations and notice periods begin.
Set a date for return to ensure onboarding and payroll setup.
Place executed copy in personnel file within 5 business days.
Annual or role-change review recommended to update duties and policies.
Keep records to support responses for at least three years.
HR drafts terms, legal reviews, and approvals obtained prior to signing.
Employer and employee sign; witness or notary if required.
Provide signed copies to all parties and HR records.
Save certified PDF with audit trail and backup storage.
State the agreement's goals and employment relationship, clarifying whether it is a condition of employment, a supplement to the handbook, or a role-specific requirement tied to compensation.
Define covered duties, locations, reporting lines, and any remote or hybrid work parameters; indicate which roles or projects are within scope of the agreement explicitly.
Include nondisclosure terms, duration of confidentiality obligations after termination, and permitted disclosures for required legal or regulatory purposes, such as court orders or compelled disclosures, and define return or destruction procedures for sensitive materials.
Assign employee-created inventions, works, and code to the employer when created in scope of employment; specify exceptions and disclosure duties and any compensation or royalty terms where applicable.
List measurable performance metrics, reporting frequency, and review intervals; tie expectations to corrective action steps and possible consequences for nonperformance to provide objective enforcement criteria.
Provide signature blocks for employee and authorized company representative, include printed name, title, and date; indicate whether electronic signatures are acceptable and how they will be authenticated.
| 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, no credit card required | No | No | Yes, limited | Yes, limited |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Envelope Cap | No cap | 100 envelopes/user/year | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan |