While most employers hire “at-will,” some require employment contracts. A contract binds both the employee and the employer to the terms and conditions of their job. These can include pay, benefits, performance, grounds for termination and more.

If you are offered a contract, it is important to not just take it. Terms can be negotiated, and it is important they are favorable. The employee is bound to the terms of the agreement, just as the employer is. Likewise, if you feel like the terms of your contract were violated, an attorney can assist you in litigating the matter.

Employment Contracts Dispute Attorney

If you have been offered a contract for employment, or if you are an employee and believe your employer has violated a term of your agreement, contact a skilled attorney at Hayber, McKenna & Dinsmore can assist you in obtaining the best possible results. We can carefully review your contract and can negotiate the best possible deal.

Contact us today by filling out our form, so we can review the circumstances of your case. We represent employees across Connecticut, including in Hartford, Danbury, Bridgeport, New Haven, Milford, Stamford, Waterbury, and Fairfield.

Key Issues in Employment Contracts

An attorney can help you if you are in any of the following circumstances:

You have been offered an employment contract and are unsure of all the possible ramifications;
You have been offered an employment contract and are unsatisfied with the terms;
You are an employee under a contract and believe your employer has violated the terms of the agreement; or
You have been terminated by an employer due to a reason not listed in your employment contract.

Information on Employment Contracts

Negotiating an Employment Contract

A contract is a promise between two or more people or entities. All parties who sign the contract must complete the terms of the agreement. A contract can be verbal or written. It is best for a contract for employment to be written so that the terms are memorialized for any future litigation.

In an employment contract, terms can include:

Salary, pay rate, bonuses and any other form of compensation;
Health plans, retirement funds, stock option, vacation time and other benefits;
Responsibilities, performance metrics, benchmarks and other standards the employee is expected to meet;
Noncompete agreements, in which the employee agrees not to work for a competitor upon leaving the employer for a certain period of time;
Confidentiality clauses;
Duration of employment;
Grounds for termination; and/or
Severance packages.

A contract with unfavorable terms for the employee can lock that employee into negative circumstances. He or she could have poor compensation and have no options to seek a raise. Some noncompete agreements force employees into situations where they cannot find a new job because the clause so limits their opportunities.

It can be difficult for a person to fully understand all the ramifications of an employment contract. That is why it is advisable to have an attorney review the document before you sign.

Your lawyer can also negotiate with the employer on your behalf to seek terms that are more favorable.

Breach of an Employment Contract

Both the employee and the employer are bound to all terms of an employment contract. If either breaks the agreement, he or she is in “breach.” The other party may bring a lawsuit that seeks to put him or her in the place where he or she would be if the contract had been performed.

An employer can breach the contract by not honoring the compensation terms, terminating employment for reasons not contained in the agreement or attempting to change any of the terms of the contract.

The employee may then bring suit. In most cases, the employee will seek monetary damages to recover what he or she would have obtained had the contract been completed. In certain rare cases, the employee can get a judgment requiring the employer to complete the contract. This is called “specific performance.”

Contact a Connecticut Employment Contracts Dispute Attorney

If you’ve been offered an employment contract in Connecticut, it is your best interests to not sign it until you’ve had a skilled attorney review the document. Even if it seems like a dream job, there can be terms that will make it a nightmare. At Hayber, McKenna & Dinsmore, we can assist you. We can also represent you if your employer has breached a term of an employment contract. Contact us today.