Employment Contract (UK) - Senior Employee
Employment Contract (UK) - Senior Employee
This statement lists the 'particulars' (terms and conditions) of your employment with us as of [effective date] which are required to be given to you under the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Names of the employee and employer
You [employee name] began working for [employer name].
Start date and continuous employment
Your employment started on [start date].
Use either A or B
Your previous employment does not count as part of a period of 'continuous employment' (working for the same employer without a significant break).
Your previous employment with [previous employer name] counts as part of your 'continuous employment' (working for the same employer without a significant break) which began on [continuous employment start date].
Job title or a Brief description of the job
Use either job title or brief description of the job
Job title
You'll be employed as a [job title].
Brief description of the job
Use either A or B
A brief description of your work is [job description].
Your responsibilities are set out in the job description attached to this statement.
Optional
Your job description may be amended by us and, in addition to duties set out in the job description, you may be required to undertake additional or other reasonable duties as necessary to meet the needs of our business.
For senior employees, this may include strategic leadership responsibilities, management of teams and budgets, and acting with a high degree of autonomy.
Pay
Your pay will be [rate of pay].
You'll be paid [payment frequency].
You will also be eligible to participate in a performance-related bonus scheme and/or [applicable incentive arrangements].
Place of work
Use either or both options
Your normal place of work is [place of work address].
You may be required to work at [other workplace].
Optional: if an employee may be required to travel abroad for longer than 1 month, use the relevant following options.
Working abroad
You may be required to travel outside of the UK for a total of up to [maximum number of months working abroad] in any 12-month period.
You'll be paid in [remuneration currency while working abroad] while you're working outside the UK.
While you're working outside the UK, in addition to your pay, you'll be paid [additional pay or payments while working abroad].
While you're working outside the UK, you'll be entitled to [additional benefits while working abroad, such as use of a company vehicle].
The terms and conditions relating to your return to the UK are [terms and conditions for returning to the uk after working abroad].
Working hours
Your normal working days and hours are [workings days / hours] with a daily [lunch break type] lunch break of [lunch break duration] depending on pro rata hours agreed.
Remove the below if the arrangement is not intended to be a flexi-hours contract.
Variable hours or days of work
Your hours or days of work may change. [details of how hours or days of work may change].
As a senior employee, you are expected to work the hours required to fulfil your duties and responsibilities, which may on occasion require additional hours without extra pay. This requirement has been taken into account when setting your salary.
Use the following provision when:
The employee is senior and their role may require working in excess of 48 hours per week, e.g., due to strategic responsibilities, business-critical projects, or cross-time-zone collaboration.
You want legal certainty that the employee has voluntarily agreed to work additional hours without breaching the Working Time Regulations 1998.
Flexibility is expected in the role, such as variable hours, on-call duties, or travel that may extend the working week beyond the standard limit.
It is not needed for standard employees whose hours are fixed and unlikely to exceed 48 hours per week.
Working Time Regulations
You agree to opt out of the 48-hour maximum average working week under the Working Time Regulations 1998. You acknowledge that, as a senior employee, you may be required to work in excess of 48 hours per week when reasonably necessary to perform your duties.
You may withdraw this agreement at any time by giving us one month’s written notice. We will continue to ensure you have adequate rest and breaks and will manage workloads to avoid excessive or unsafe hours.
Holiday entitlement
An employer must give enough information to make sure that entitlements, including accrued holiday pay on termination, can be precisely calculated.
Your holiday entitlement is [holiday entitlement].
Senior employees may be required to ensure appropriate handover and availability during critical periods.
Other benefits
Use either A or B
You'll be entitled to [other benefits]. Your entitlement to these benefits will start [benefits start date].
You're also eligible for other benefits, as set out in our benefits policy. Our benefits policy can change over time. The benefits policy is available from [location of benefits policy].
The following are suggested additional benefits that you may include in the above provision:
Standard Senior Employee Benefits Clause (Private medical, life assurance, income protection, allowance)
You will be eligible to participate in our benefits programme for senior employees, which currently includes private medical insurance, life assurance, income-protection insurance, and an employer-funded wellbeing allowance. Full details of these benefits, including eligibility requirements, provider terms, and any employee contributions, will be provided separately. We may amend, replace, or withdraw any of these benefits at any time on reasonable notice of any such change.
Executive Allowance & Flexible Benefits (Cash allowance that can be spent across various benefits)
You will receive an annual executive benefits allowance of £_______, payable monthly in arrears, which you may use towards any benefits offered under our flexible benefits scheme, including but not limited to private healthcare, dental cover, additional pension contributions, wellbeing support, and enhanced insurance products. You may also elect to receive any unused portion of this allowance as additional taxable salary. We may amend the structure of the executive benefits allowance or the benefits scheme at our discretion.
Bonus / Short-Term Incentive Plan (STIP) (Clean, high-level clause that avoids over-promising)
You may be eligible to participate in our annual bonus scheme (or any successor incentive scheme) in accordance with our rules as amended from time to time. Any bonus is discretionary, is not guaranteed, and does not form part of your contractual pay. Eligibility, performance criteria, targets, and payment terms will be communicated to you at the start of each performance year. You must be employed and not under notice on the bonus payment date to receive any award unless the scheme rules provide otherwise.
Long-Term Incentive / Equity Scheme (Common for directors, heads of department, senior specialists)
You may be invited to participate in our long-term incentive plan (“LTIP”) or equity scheme, subject to the applicable plan rules and any award documentation provided to you. Participation in any LTIP or equity scheme is entirely discretionary and does not form part of your contractual remuneration. We reserve the right to amend, suspend, or terminate any such plan at any time.
Executive Car / Mobility Allowance (Full prose clause for senior roles with travel requirements)
If your role requires significant business travel, we will provide you with a monthly mobility allowance of £_______ in lieu of a company car. This allowance is paid as a taxable benefit and is intended to cover travel-related expenses including vehicle leasing, fuel, insurance, and maintenance. We may require you to maintain adequate business-use insurance when using your own vehicle for company business.
Wellbeing and Lifestyle Benefits Package (For modern or tech-company senior contracts)
You will have access to our senior wellbeing package, which may include mental health support services, professional coaching, on-demand counselling, gym or wellness allowances, and access to digital wellbeing tools. These services may be provided by third-party providers and may change from time to time.
Absence and sick pay
If you're absent from work for any reason, you must inform [absence notification to] by [absence notification method] as soon as possible, but no later than [absence notification time].
For absences of 7 days or less, you can self-certify.
On your return to work you must complete and return a self-certification form to your manager. This must be returned before the end of your first day back at work.
For absences of 7 days or more because of sickness or injury, you must get a fit note from a registered healthcare professional.
Senior employees must keep the organisation informed of any absence that impacts strategic or managerial responsibilities and ensure appropriate delegation where possible.
All sickness or injury absences will be added to your employment record.
Sick pay
Use either or both options
You may be entitled to be paid if you're not able to work due to 'incapacity' (sickness or injury). [terms of pay as set out in statutory sick pay guidance or the employer's sick pay terms for employees].
You may be eligible for contractual sick pay. [terms of contractual sick pay].
Other paid leave
Use A, B and C
You may be eligible for statutory paid leave, including [statutory paid leave details]
The employer must state terms and conditions relating to statutory paid leave, including:
maternity leave
adoption leave
paternity leave
shared parental leave
bereavement leave
You may be eligible for additional paid leave, including [additional paid leave details]
The employer must state terms and conditions relating to any additional paid leave that they offer, for example:
leave to care for dependants
compassionate leave
sabbatical leave
training and study leave
Further information can be found in the respective policies, which are available [contact for employer policies].
Pension arrangements
Pension arrangements can be provided later, but must be provided within 2 months of the start of employment.
Use either A or B
If you're eligible, we'll automatically enrol you into our occupational pension scheme in accordance with our obligations under Part 1 of the Pensions Act 2008. If you do not opt out of automatic enrolment, details of the scheme will be provided once you join.
Pension terms and conditions are [pension terms].
Pension terms and conditions can be found [location of pension terms].
Include the following enhanced pension provision where applicable - this is used for senior roles where pension contributions exceed auto-enrolment)
In addition to any statutory or automatic-enrolment pension contributions, we will pay an enhanced employer pension contribution of [enhanced employer pension contribution amount]% of your basic salary into a qualifying pension scheme of your choice, subject to the scheme’s rules and annual allowance limits. You may make additional voluntary contributions through salary sacrifice where permitted. We reserve the right to review or amend our pension contribution levels from time to time.
Training
Use any of the following options. Option A can be provided later, but must be provided within 2 months of the start of employment.
We offer [training offered] training and in some cases [allowances for training], subject to certain eligibility requirements and other conditions. Details of this training are set out in [location of employer training details].
We require you to complete [compulsory training courses paid for by the employer]. We will pay for the cost of this training.
You're required to complete [compulsory training courses not paid for by the employer] at your own expense.
Probationary period
Use either A or B
There is no probationary period.
There is a probationary period of [probation period length] for new employees. During this time, your probationary period terms include [probation period terms].
For senior employees, the probationary period may include enhanced performance expectations and regular review meetings with senior leadership.
Notice period
Use A if an employee has different notice periods during and after their probationary period. Use B if the notice periods during and after probation are the same or if there is not a probationary period.
During your probationary period, the notice that you or your employer must give to end your employment is [notice period during probation].
After your probationary period, the notice that you must give to end your employment is [notice period required from employee].
We may end your employment at any time by giving you [notice period required from employer] or the statutory notice you're entitled to, whichever is longer.
The notice you must give to end your employment is [notice period required from employee].
We may end your employment at any time by giving you [notice period required from employer] or the statutory notice you're entitled to, whichever is longer.
Consider a longer notice period for senior employees - typically 3 months, but this can be 6 months or more for particularly specialised roles.
Garden Leave
Upon the termination of your employment for any reason, you may be placed on "garden leave". During this period, you shall be relieved of all duties and obligations to perform work and shall not be required to attend any office or place of business.
You will continue to receive your normal salary, benefits, and other contractual remuneration until your termination date. During garden leave, you remain an employee, and you must continue to comply with all terms of your employment contract, including confidentiality and non-solicitation clauses.
Payment in Lieu of Notice (PILON)
We may, at our sole discretion, terminate your employment with immediate effect without requiring you to work your notice period. In this event, you will receive a lump sum payment equivalent to your [pilon payment] for your notice period of [Number] months.
This payment will be subject to standard deductions for tax and National Insurance.
Collective agreements
Can be provided later, but must be provided within 2 months of the start of employment
A 'collective agreement' is an agreement the employer has with employees' representatives (including trade unions) that allow terms and conditions like pay or working hours to be negotiated on behalf of employees.
Use either A or B
There are no collective agreements.
[dates and parties involved in collective agreements for this contract].
Grievances
If you need to raise a grievance, you should put it in writing to [grievance contact].
Use either A, B or C
The grievance procedure which applies to you is attached to this statement.
The grievance procedure which applies to you can be found [location of grievance procedure].
You should use this grievance procedure: [details of grievance procedure explained].
Disciplinary rules and procedures
Use either A, B or C
The disciplinary rules which apply to you are attached to this statement.
The disciplinary rules which apply to you can be found [location of disciplinary rules].
The disciplinary rules which apply to you are [details of disciplinary rules].
If you're unhappy with any disciplinary decision taken in relation to you, you can appeal by writing to [disciplinary appeal to].
Confidentiality
Choose between the following short and long versions.
Short version:
You must not disclose or use any confidential information relating to the organisation, its clients, partners or employees except as required to perform your role. This obligation continues after your employment ends.
Long version:
You must not, during your employment or at any time after it ends, use, disclose or communicate to any person any confidential information relating to us, our clients, suppliers, partners, employees or any other third parties connected with us, except where such disclosure is required in the proper performance of your duties or where the information is already lawfully in the public domain. “Confidential information” includes, without limitation, business plans, financial information, pricing, trade secrets, customer and supplier lists, technical data, software, processes, know-how, employee details, and any information marked or reasonably understood to be confidential.
You must take all reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality of such information and to prevent its unauthorised use or disclosure. You must return to us, on request or on termination of your employment, all documents, records, correspondence, data, equipment and other materials (whether in hard copy or electronic form) containing or relating to confidential information, and you must not retain any copies.
This obligation does not prevent you from making a protected disclosure under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 or from disclosing information where required by law or by a regulatory authority.
Intellectual Property
Ownership of IP. Any intellectual property (IP), including inventions, designs, developments, software, processes, methodologies, or creative works, which you create, develop, or contribute to during the course of your employment, either alone or jointly with others, and which relates to our business or results from the use of our resources, shall be our exclusive property to the fullest extent permitted by law. You agree to assign and do hereby assign to us all rights, title, and interest in such IP.
Moral Rights. To the extent permitted by law, you waive any moral rights you may have in any IP created in the course of your employment. You agree, on request and at our expense, to sign any documents and take any actions reasonably necessary to secure, perfect, or enforce our rights in such IP.
Assistance Post-Termination. You agree to provide reasonable assistance, at our expense, after the end of your employment, including signing documents and providing information, to protect, register, or enforce any IP created during your employment.
Pre-Existing IP / Third-Party IP. You must disclose in writing any IP that you developed prior to your employment which may be used during your employment. You represent that the IP you create for us will not infringe the rights of any third party. Any third-party IP incorporated into our projects must be approved in writing and used in accordance with applicable licences.
Use of Company IP. You shall not use, reproduce, or disclose any of our IP for purposes other than the performance of your duties, both during and after your employment, except as required by law or with our prior written consent.
Confidentiality Intersection. This IP clause operates alongside the Confidentiality provisions of this agreement. All IP-related information is considered confidential.
Conflicts of Interest
You must disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest. You must not undertake outside employment or consultancy work without prior written consent.
Restrictive Covenants
Optional but standard for senior employees
Use where a separate covenant schedule is to be provided:
To protect the organisation’s legitimate business interests, you may be required to agree to reasonable post-termination restrictions (non-compete, non-solicitation, non-dealing and non-poaching). These will be provided separately if applicable.
Use to outline the applicable restrictive covenants and amend as suitable:
You acknowledge that, during your employment, you will have access to confidential information, strategic plans, trade connections, and key business relationships. To protect our legitimate business interests, including confidential information, customer relationships, workforce stability, and goodwill, you agree to the following restrictions after termination. For the purposes of this Section:
"Restricted Business: means any business that competes with us or any Group Company in which you were materially involved in the 12 months before termination.
Make sure the definition of Restricted Business above is not too broad, as it will be unenforceable. You MUST include a list of market sectors or business areas the company operates in, a geographic scope if relevant, and a carve-out permitting passive investments ("Nothing in this clause prevents you from holding up to 5% of shares in a publicly listed company as a passive investment").
"Restricted Customer" means any client, customer, supplier, prospect, or business partner with whom you had material dealings in the 12 months before termination.
"Restricted Employee" means any employee, worker, or contractor who worked closely with you, or held a senior, managerial, technical, sales, client-facing, or strategically significant role during the 12 months before termination.
Non-Competition. For six (3) months after termination, you shall not work for, engage in, or be concerned with any Restricted Business in a role similar to that performed for us, or in any role in which you would reasonably be expected to use or disclose our confidential information.
If you wish for a longer non-compete, make sure to check the legal limit for post-termination non-competes, as there is the potential for anything longer than 3 months to be unenforceable under new employment law reforms.
Non-Solicitation of Customers. For twelve (12) months after termination, you shall not solicit or endeavour to solicit any Restricted Customer to provide goods or services that compete with those offered by us.
Non-Dealing With Customers. For twelve (12) months after termination, you shall not provide goods or services to, or deal with, any Restricted Customer in competition with us, whether or not approached by the customer.
Non-Poaching of Employees. For twelve (12) months after termination, you shall not solicit, induce, encourage, or employ any Restricted Employee.
Non-Interference. For twelve (12) months after termination, you shall not interfere with or disrupt relationships between us and our customers, suppliers, employees, contractors, investors, or other business partners.
Garden Leave Offset. Any period of Garden Leave served prior to termination shall reduce the duration of each restriction on a day-for-day basis.
Severability and Validity. If any restriction is found unenforceable, it shall apply with only such modifications as are necessary to make it valid. Each restriction is independent and the unenforceability of one does not affect the others.
Health and safety
You must comply with our health and safety policies while performing work, and report any hazards, accidents, or unsafe conditions immediately.
Data protection
If you process personal data on our behalf, you agree to comply with UK data protection law and any instructions we give.
You must take appropriate technical and organisational measures to keep personal data secure.
Warranties
You warrant that:
You are free to enter into this employment and are not bound by any conflicting obligation.
Your performance will comply with all applicable laws.
Any materials you provide will not infringe the rights of third parties.
Governing law and jurisdiction
This agreement is governed by the law of England and Wales, and any dispute will be subject to the courts of England and Wales.
Please sign and return the statement to confirm you've received and accepted these terms.
Employee's signature:
Date:
Manager's signature on behalf of the organisation:
Date:
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