Is this a legally binding contract?

It produces a standard contract template, but it is not legal advice and is not jurisdiction-specific. Employment law varies by country and state, so have a qualified employment lawyer review and adapt it before either party signs.

What core terms must an employment contract include?

At minimum: the parties, job title, start date, pay, working hours, probation period, and notice period. This builder captures all of these and adds optional IP-assignment and confidentiality clauses, which most employers want.

How does the probation period work?

A probation period is an initial window — often three to six months — during which either party can usually end the contract with shorter notice. The builder states the probation length and applies a typically shorter notice during it.

Why include an IP-assignment clause?

It confirms that work product the employee creates in their role belongs to the employer. For any role involving creative or technical output this is important, so the builder includes it as a toggle you can enable.

Can I use this for part-time or fixed-term roles?

Yes. Set the working hours for part-time and state the role's nature in the title. For fixed-term roles, note the end date in the start-date field as a range, and have counsel confirm the term language.

What is the Employment Contract Builder?

Builds a basic employment contract covering job title, start date, salary, probation period, notice, working hours, IP assignment, and confidentiality. A template only — not legal advice. It runs free in your browser on Gera Tools, with nothing uploaded.

Employment Contract Builder

Name: Employment Contract Builder
Creator: Gera Tools
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

A clean employment contract from a handful of inputs

Every employment contract needs the same backbone: who the parties are, the role, the start date, the pay, the hours, probation, notice, and the standard protective clauses. This builder collects those details and assembles a tidy, readable contract you can hand to counsel for review — far faster than starting from a blank page.

How it works

The tool maps your inputs onto a conventional contract structure. The header names the employer and employee and fixes the role and start date. The terms section states salary, working hours, the probation period, and the notice period, applying a shorter notice during probation as is standard. Two optional clauses — intellectual-property assignment and confidentiality — can be toggled on, since most employers want work product and sensitive information protected. The output is labeled clause by clause so a lawyer can review and localize it quickly. This is a template only, not legal advice.

The essential clauses and what they cover

A well-drafted employment contract protects both parties by making the terms of the relationship explicit before work begins. Here is what each core section addresses:

Job title and duties. Names the role and, ideally, includes a brief statement of primary responsibilities. A precise title matters when employment disputes arise — a “Senior Developer” and a “Junior Developer” have materially different implied expectations.

Start date. Fixes when the employment relationship begins and determines the employee’s length of service, which affects statutory rights such as notice entitlement and (in some jurisdictions) unfair dismissal protection.

Salary and payment frequency. States the gross amount, whether it is annual or hourly, the currency, and when payment is made (weekly, monthly, end of month, etc.). Ambiguity here is among the most common sources of early employment disputes.

Working hours. Sets the contractual hours — typically expressed as hours per week and the expected working days. This is the reference point for calculating overtime entitlement and part-time pro-rating.

Probation period. A defined initial period — commonly 3 to 6 months — during which either party can end the relationship with shorter notice. The contract should state the probation length and the reduced notice that applies during it.

Notice period. The minimum notice required from either side after probation. Statutory minima apply in most jurisdictions regardless of what the contract says; the contract notice applies where it exceeds the statutory minimum.

IP assignment clause. Assigns work product created by the employee in the course of their role to the employer. Without this clause, in some jurisdictions the legal ownership of work product may be ambiguous, particularly for creative, software, or product roles.

Confidentiality clause. Prohibits disclosure of trade secrets, client lists, pricing, and other sensitive business information during and after employment. This is a baseline protective clause most employers include regardless of role.

Jurisdiction matters: key differences to discuss with counsel

Employment law varies substantially by country and, within some countries, by state or province:

UK: employees in Great Britain receive a statutory “Written Statement of Employment Particulars” (section 1 statement under the Employment Rights Act 1996) within two months of starting. Many of these particulars are covered by this builder’s output, but counsel should confirm compliance.
US: there is no federal requirement for a written employment contract for most employees. State law governs enforceability of non-compete and IP clauses, which vary widely.
EU: the EU Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive requires certain information to be provided to employees within set timeframes.

Tips and example

State pay unambiguously with currency and frequency: £45,000 per year or $28 per hour.
Set working hours clearly — 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday — to avoid later disputes.
Match probation and notice to local norms: a 3-month probation with 1-week notice during it is common.
Enable the IP clause for any creative, engineering, or product role.
Always have an employment lawyer in your jurisdiction review before signing — statutory rights differ widely and override any contract term that falls below the statutory floor.