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Signing an employment contract can feel like a turning point in your life - but it can also feel overwhelming. You are about to commit to working for someone, but most employment contracts are written in dense legal language that is hard to parse and easy to misread. The thought of missing something important - a restrictive clause, a hidden obligation, or something that does not quite match what you discussed in the interview - can keep you awake at night.
Many people sign contracts without fully understanding what they are agreeing to. They think it will be fine, that "everyone signs these sorts of things". Then, months or years later, they discover something in their contract they wish they had caught earlier. An overly broad non-compete clause that limits where they can work next. A confidentiality definition so wide it prevents them from using skills they have developed. A probation clause that means they have virtually no protection for the first six months. An incentive scheme that is entirely discretionary, despite what the recruiter said.
For employers, the anxiety is different but equally real. You have invested time in creating a contract that you believe protects your business. But if it is poorly drafted, those protections may not actually work. A restrictive covenant that is too broad will be unenforceable. IP provisions that do not align with what the employee actually does will cause disputes later. A contract that does not reflect current employment law may expose you to claims. And if you are relying on a template you found online five years ago, you might not even realise the law has changed.
The truth is, employment contracts matter more than most people think. They define your rights, your protections, and your obligations. They shape disputes that might arise. They determine what you can do after you leave. Yet most people spend more time choosing a phone contract than they do reading an employment contract.
QuickLegalCheck was designed to solve this problem. For just £99, you can upload your employment contract and have it reviewed by our AI system, which has been trained by experienced contract lawyers to spot the issues that really matter. Within minutes, you will receive a clear, plain-English report that explains what you are agreeing to, highlights the risks, points out anything missing, and offers practical suggestions to make the contract more balanced and fairer. No jargon. No fluff. Just clarity and confidence.
Employment contracts are the foundation of the working relationship, yet they are often given less thought than they deserve. When things go wrong - whether you want to move to a competitor, you are made redundant, or you simply disagree with your employer about what you signed up for - it is the contract that determines your rights.
Consider the real-world scenario where a marketing professional finds herself unable to take a job with a competitor two years after leaving her previous employer. Why? Because her employment contract contained a two-year non-compete clause that she barely noticed when she signed it. It seemed like a standard clause at the time, but now it is costing her tens of thousands of pounds in lost earnings. A quick review of that contract before signing could have identified this issue and either removed the clause or negotiated more reasonable terms.
Or take the case of a founder who hires three key employees without proper employment contracts. Two years later, when the business is worth significantly more, one of those employees demands equity that was never documented. Without a written contract, there is no evidence of what was or was not promised. Disputes escalate, relationships break down, and the business suffers. A well-drafted employment contract would have prevented this entirely.
Employment contracts also matter for compliance. Employment law changes frequently, and contracts that worked five years ago may now leave you exposed to claims for unpaid holidays, unlawful deductions, or breach of the National Minimum Wage. For employers, an outdated contract is not just inefficient - it can be costly.
That is why reviewing your employment contract before you sign matters so much. It is your chance to understand what you are committing to, to spot issues before they become real problems, and to negotiate better terms while you still have leverage. For employers, it is an opportunity to ensure your contracts protect what matters while remaining fair and enforceable.
Our process is designed to give you fast, clear answers without the cost and delay of a traditional solicitor.
Upload your contract in Word or PDF format
Our AI system, built by contract specialists, analyses the document in detail
You receive a plain-English report identifying risks, missing clauses, and recommendations
Defines the role and sets clear expectations. Prevents duties being expanded beyond what was agreed.
Important for calculating notice periods and entitlements. Check that probation clauses are reasonable.
Modern contracts need to address hybrid working. Look for clarity on whether remote work is permitted and on what terms.
Should state standard working hours, overtime expectations, and how additional hours are compensated.
Pay should be clearly stated, including review dates. Benefits such as pensions and health insurance should be detailed.
Should outline eligibility, calculation methods, and whether bonuses are discretionary or contractual.
Annual leave, public holiday policy, and rules on carrying over unused leave should be clear.
Overly broad definitions may restrict future career use of general skills and knowledge.
Determines who owns work created during employment. Should only cover work created in the course of employment.
Can limit what an employee can do after leaving. Must be reasonable in scope and duration to be enforceable.
Should set out notice required from each side and circumstances for immediate dismissal.
Restrictions that are too wide in scope, duration, or geography may be unenforceable. Even if they are enforceable, they can limit your career choices significantly after you leave. A three-year global non-compete is likely to be struck down, but not before costing both parties money in legal fees.
If a bonus is described as discretionary but the recruiter implied it was guaranteed, disputes arise about what was promised. Without clear definitions of how bonuses are calculated and when they are paid, employees can end up receiving less than they expected.
A confidentiality clause that prevents you from using general knowledge, skills, and experience gained during employment is unenforceable and unfair. But if you do not realise how broad it is, you might unknowingly accept restrictions that could affect your career.
Some contracts claim that everything you create, even on your own time and using your own resources, belongs to the employer. This can prevent you from pursuing side projects or freelance work.
In a world where hybrid working is standard, a contract that does not address this can lead to disputes about where you are required to work, when you can work from home, and what happens if circumstances change.
For employees, best practice means ensuring that every term agreed during recruitment is captured in the written contract, reading each clause carefully, and questioning anything that seems vague or one-sided. Pay particular attention to restrictive covenants - if you think you might want to move to a competitor or start a side business, make sure the contract does not prevent that. Check that any bonus or incentive schemes are clearly defined and do not rely solely on discretion. Understand your notice period and how it compares to what the recruiter told you. If something is not clear, ask for clarification and get any promises in writing.
For employers, best practice means keeping contracts up to date with changes in law, tailoring them to the role rather than relying solely on generic templates, and ensuring that key protections are both reasonable and enforceable. Contracts should be reviewed regularly to reflect new legislation and company policy changes. Make sure your restrictive covenants are narrowly tailored to protect legitimate business interests, not so broad that they would be unenforceable. Clearly define any bonus schemes so there is no ambiguity about whether they are contractual or discretionary. Consider working with a legal advisor to ensure your standard terms reflect current employment law, particularly around holiday entitlements, working time, and national minimum wage.
Traditional solicitor reviews are thorough but often expensive and slow. A solicitor may charge £500 to £1,500 plus VAT for a detailed review, and turnaround times can be several days or even weeks.
QuickLegalCheck offers an alternative that is both faster and more affordable, without sacrificing clarity. Our £99 instant contract review gives you a written report in plain English, focusing on the key issues, risks, and practical improvements. The process is confidential, secure, and entirely online.
A restrictive covenant is the general term for any clause that restricts what an employee can do during or after employment. Non-compete is one type of restrictive covenant, which specifically prevents you from working for competitors. Other types include non-solicitation (preventing you from working with clients or employees), confidentiality, and garden leave clauses. All must be reasonable in scope, duration, and geography to be enforceable.
No, employers cannot unilaterally change the terms of your employment contract without your agreement. They can offer a new contract with different terms, and you can accept or reject it. If you reject a significant change, the employer may have grounds to terminate your employment, but they cannot simply impose changes. Any change to your contractual terms must be agreed by both parties.
Blank spaces or unclear terms should never be left to assumption. You must either get them filled in or get clarity on what they mean before you sign. Ask your employer or recruiter to explain the unclear term and, if necessary, get the change in writing. Do not sign a contract with blank spaces or vague terms - this can lead to disputes about what was actually agreed.
Technically, no. During probation, you have reduced legal protections (you can generally be dismissed with less notice), but you still have statutory rights such as the right to be paid at least the National Minimum Wage and not to be discriminated against. Some employers use probation as a genuine trial period; others use it simply to reduce legal risk. Either way, you still have rights, but it is worth understanding exactly what probation means in your contract.
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