Can this agreement be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures satisfy the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states provided the signature shows intent, consent, attribution, and the record is retained and reproducible.

When is notarization required?

Most employment use agreements do not require notarization. If state law or a specific exhibit requires acknowledgment, follow that state’s rules; some states mandate notarization for deeds or affidavits.

Does HIPAA affect this agreement?

If the agreement permits access to protected health information, include HIPAA language and execute a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) where required (45 CFR §164.504).

How can a signer revoke consent?

Revocation provisions should be included in the agreement with clear steps; note that revocation may not undo uses already made lawfully while consent was effective.

Who should sign on behalf of an employer?

An authorized officer or manager with signing authority should sign for the employer; include printed name and title to show representative capacity and avoid disputes.

How should executed agreements be stored?

Store signed records in a secure system with encryption at rest and in transit, maintain audit trails, and retain copies per applicable retention schedules such as IRS or HIPAA requirements.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employment Use Agreement

Employment Use Agreement

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

EMPLOYMENT USE AGREEMENT

This Employment Use Agreement (the Agreement) is entered into as of between Employer Name: and Employee Name: .

Personal Information

Full Legal Name Address Phone Email

Position Information

Job Title Department Reporting Manager

Start Date

Salary / Rate

Employment Type

Full-Time Part-Time Contractor

Employment History

Employer 1 — Company Title and Dates Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Employer 2 — Company Title and Dates Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Education

Highest Degree Institution Graduation Date

References

Reference 1 — Name Phone / Email / Relationship

Reference 2 — Name Phone / Email / Relationship

Reference 3 — Name Phone / Email / Relationship

Legal Disclosures and Authorizations

At-Will Employment: The parties acknowledge that, unless a separate written agreement expressly provides otherwise, employment is at-will and may be terminated by either party at any time, with or without cause and with or without notice. Nothing in this Agreement shall alter or limit at-will employment except by a signed written instrument.

Equal Opportunity: Employer is an equal opportunity employer. Employer does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Use of Work Product; Intellectual Property

Assignment of Inventions: Employee agrees that all inventions, discoveries, developments, improvements, trade secrets, know-how, works of authorship, designs, processes, software, and other creations that Employee conceives, develops or reduces to practice during the period of employment that (a) relate to Employer's business or actual or demonstrably anticipated research and development, (b) result from work performed for Employer, or (c) are created using Employer's time, resources or confidential information (collectively, Work Product) shall be the exclusive property of Employer, and Employee hereby assigns and agrees to assign all right, title and interest in such Work Product to Employer.

Copyrights and Moral Rights: To the fullest extent permitted by law, Employee hereby irrevocably assigns all copyrights in Work Product to Employer and waives and agrees not to assert any moral rights or analogous rights in such Work Product.

Confidentiality and Privacy

Confidential Information: Employee will not, during or after employment, use or disclose Employer's confidential information except as required to perform job duties. Confidential information includes, but is not limited to, customer data, business plans, financial information, trade secrets, and technical information.

Data and Image Use: Employee consents to Employer's use of Employee's name, voice, photograph, likeness, professional biography and work examples for legitimate business purposes including internal communications, marketing, websites, and recruiting materials. Such use shall be royalty-free, worldwide and irrevocable while employed and for a reasonable period thereafter subject to applicable law.

Background Checks and Authorizations

Authorization to Investigate: Employee authorizes Employer and its agents to verify any information provided in this Agreement and to conduct background checks, reference checks, criminal record checks, education verification and other pre-employment investigations as allowed by law. Employee authorizes all persons and entities to release such information to Employer and releases them from liability in doing so.

Consent: I authorize Employer to conduct background, reference and other verification checks.

Representations; Remedies; Miscellaneous

Representations: Employee represents that the information provided in this Agreement is true, complete and correct to the best of Employee's knowledge. Employee further represents that the assignment of Work Product will not violate any agreement with a third party.

Remedies and Injunctive Relief: Employee acknowledges that a breach of confidentiality or assignment provisions would cause irreparable harm to Employer for which monetary damages would be inadequate and agrees that Employer shall be entitled to injunctive relief in addition to any other remedies.

Severability: If any provision of this Agreement is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Governing Law: This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state or jurisdiction where Employer's principal place of business is located, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Applicant Certification and Authorization

I certify that all information provided in this Agreement and any attachments is true and complete. I understand that falsification, omission or misrepresentation may constitute grounds for rejection of the application or immediate termination of employment if discovered after hire. I further authorize Employer to contact my prior employers, educational institutions and references to verify statements made herein.

Consent to Use: I grant Employer the rights described in this Agreement with respect to Work Product and the use of my name/likeness as stated above.

Additional Information

Additional Comments (optional)

Employer Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Employee Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What an Employment Use Agreement Is and when it's used

An Employment Use Agreement is a written contract between an employer and an employee (or contractor) that defines permitted uses of an individual’s work product, personal data, image, proprietary information, and intellectual property during and after the employment relationship. It clarifies rights such as copyright assignment, confidentiality obligations, data processing permissions, and any consideration provided. In the United States these agreements may be executed electronically under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) or state UETA laws where adopted, subject to statutory exceptions for certain testamentary and court-ordered documents.

Why this agreement matters for employers and employees

A clear Employment Use Agreement reduces ambiguity about ownership, privacy, and acceptable use of work product and personal information, helping prevent disputes and protecting trade secrets while documenting consent for data handling and IP assignment.

Typical parties and roles that use Employment Use Agreements

Employers, HR teams, in-house counsel, and hiring managers commonly prepare these agreements for new hires and contractors.

Human resources teams managing new hire onboarding and personnel records.
Legal and compliance professionals drafting IP assignment and confidentiality terms.
Individual employees and independent contractors reviewing rights and obligations before start.

The agreement serves both operational needs and legal protections; tailor it to the role, industry, and applicable state law.

Core sections to include in a professional Employment Use Agreement

A well-structured agreement groups essential provisions so each party understands scope, duration, and remedies. The following components represent common, enforceable elements.

Scope of Use

Precisely defines what employer may use (work product, data, image) and for which projects or business purposes; avoids broad, ambiguous grants.

Duration

Specifies when permissions begin and end, including any survivorship for confidentiality or IP assignments after termination.

Intellectual Property

States whether employee assigns copyright or grants license; includes work-for-hire clauses where appropriate and consideration if required.

Confidentiality

Defines confidential categories, permitted disclosures, and security obligations including return or destruction of materials upon request.

Consideration

Describes compensation or other consideration for IP assignment or data use, ensuring enforceability by documenting exchange of value.

Termination

Explains how and when permissions terminate, obligations surviving termination, and remedies for breach.

Step-by-step: completing and executing the Employment Use Agreement

Follow these practical steps to reduce errors and ensure the document is legally enforceable across the employment lifecycle.

01

Prepare the draft: Confirm role, IP clauses, and governing law before sending.
02

Populate fields: Enter exact names, dates, and position details; avoid abbreviations.
03

Obtain required signatures: Ensure all parties sign and date the signature block.
04

Store and distribute: Archive executed copy and provide copies to signers.

How to configure an online signing workflow for this agreement

Set up digital workflow elements to match your internal approval process and regulatory requirements before sending the first document.

Authentication method	Choose email link, SMS code, or stronger KBA depending on sensitivity.
Signing order	Specify sequenced or parallel signing to match HR and management approvals.
Conditional fields	Use conditional fields for role-specific clauses and optional exhibits.
Notifications	Enable reminders and completion alerts for signers and administrators.
Retention policy	Set automatic archival and export settings for recordkeeping.

Typical electronic signing flow for Employment Use Agreements

A consistent electronic workflow minimizes friction and creates a verifiable audit trail for each execution event.

Upload document: Add the agreement PDF or DOCX to the eSignature platform.
Place fields: Insert signature, date, and conditional fields in the right places.
Invite signer: Send via email or provide a secure signing link.
Capture audit trail: Record timestamps, IP, and authentication events automatically.

Technical considerations for eSubmission and storage

Ensure your platform supports required file types, authentication levels, and audit logging before sending legal agreements electronically.

File formats: PDF and DOCX are standard.
Authentication: Email, SMS, or advanced KBA options.
Audit logs: Must capture timestamps and signer attribution.

Confirm your provider can export signed records in durable formats and meets any industry compliance needs such as HIPAA or 21 CFR Part 11 before relying on eSignatures for regulated workflows.

eSignature vendor pricing and capability snapshot for agreement execution

Comparing basic pricing and common capabilities helps select an eSignature provider that supports secure execution, audit trails, and necessary compliance 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	Yes, 7-day trial	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
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	Varies	Varies

Security and compliance checkpoints for handling agreements

In-transit encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3

At-rest encryption: AES-256

Regulatory standards: SOC 2 Type II; ISO 27001

Privacy frameworks: GDPR and CCPA controls

Healthcare compliance: HIPAA (BAA required)

eSignature law: ESIGN and UETA compliant

Common risks and potential penalties to avoid

Invalid consent: Agreement may be unenforceable without clear consent.

I-9 failure: I-9 processing errors trigger DHS fines.

Tax classification: Misclassification can lead to IRS penalties.

Confidentiality breach: Leads to contract damages and possible injunctions.

Notarization errors: Missing notarization can affect certain state filings.

Litigation costs: Defending disputes increases legal fees significantly.

Timing and deadlines to manage during onboarding and execution

Observe statutory and operational deadlines to prevent compliance failures and administrative penalties.

Effective Date and Start:

Set the effective date and ensure signers understand when obligations begin.

I-9 Completion:

Employer must complete Form I-9 no later than three business days after hire (8 CFR §274a.2).

W-4 Submission:

Employee should submit W-4 at hiring to permit correct withholding.

Signature Return:

Require signed agreement before first day or within an agreed onboarding window.

Periodic Review:

Review agreement language if job duties or laws materially change.

Real-world examples showing practical application

These concise examples illustrate how organizations use digital execution and clear agreements to streamline onboarding and protect assets.

Optica Ventures — onboarding

Optica Ventures moved hiring documentation online to reduce paperwork and accelerate start dates.

The interface is simple and easy-to-use for our team; more importantly, it is just as easy for our customers.
Electronic execution made onboarding consistent across remote hires, improved recordkeeping, and reduced manual follow-up for missing signatures.

Martin Properties — remote hires

Martin Properties needed a compliant way to obtain signed permissions and disclosures remotely.

I can process and execute all of these documents online with 100% compliance and built-in security.
The firm reduced turnaround time for signed agreements, eliminated shipping, and retained reliable audit trails for each executed document.

FAQs and practical answers about Employment Use Agreements

Answers to common questions about electronic execution, enforceability, notarization, revocation, and secure storage for Employment Use Agreements.

Need help? Contact support

Can this agreement be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures satisfy the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA in most states provided the signature shows intent, consent, attribution, and the record is retained and reproducible.
When is notarization required?
Most employment use agreements do not require notarization. If state law or a specific exhibit requires acknowledgment, follow that state’s rules; some states mandate notarization for deeds or affidavits.
Does HIPAA affect this agreement?
If the agreement permits access to protected health information, include HIPAA language and execute a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) where required (45 CFR §164.504).
How can a signer revoke consent?
Revocation provisions should be included in the agreement with clear steps; note that revocation may not undo uses already made lawfully while consent was effective.
Who should sign on behalf of an employer?
An authorized officer or manager with signing authority should sign for the employer; include printed name and title to show representative capacity and avoid disputes.
How should executed agreements be stored?
Store signed records in a secure system with encryption at rest and in transit, maintain audit trails, and retain copies per applicable retention schedules such as IRS or HIPAA requirements.

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