Work: What’s Next | What should employees look for in an employment contract?

Interview Summary

While many employees associate the start of a new job with signing an employment agreement, few are aware of the importance of the document. What should employees be aware of before they sign an employment contract? Do employers benefit from detailed contracts or do employees?

Lior Samfiru, a Toronto employment lawyer and co-founding Partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP joins Global News in Work What’s Next to answer these questions and more.

Interview Notes

What should employees do if they are given an employment agreement at the start of a new job?

An Ontario employment agreement is very important and governs everything about a work dynamic. Employment contracts, however, generally benefit the employer as it often takes away protections for employees. Employees are typically better off without a formal written employment agreement and should not request to sign a document if none are provided.

What should an employee look for in an employment agreement?

Before agreeing to sign an employment contract, employees should look for possible limitations to future severance entitlements. Contracts can also indicate that compensation or the job itself can change by the employer, or seek to limit future employment possibilities.

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How much leverage or negotiating power do employees have in regards to contracts?

Employees do have some power and ability to negotiate the terms of their future employment. Employees should remember if they do not have specific requests in mind from their employer, they will not be given. Employees should narrow down their demands to those they find the most significant and agree to renegotiate sometime in the future.