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HR & Employment Law

Employment Contracts Written Statements & Day-One Compliance

Legally compliant employment contracts and written statements of employment particulars. A day-one legal requirement for every employee and worker. We draft bespoke contracts for every role in your business — protecting you from tribunal claims and ensuring compliance with the Employment Rights Act 1996.

Day 1Written statement required
ERA1996 compliance
2-4wkAdditional award if missing
BespokeRole-specific contracts
Employment Contracts

Why Employment Contracts Matter

A workplace risk assessment is a systematic examination of your work activities, premises and processes to identify what could cause harm to people — and whether you're doing enough to prevent it. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR), every employer must carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees and anyone else who may be affected by their work activities.

If you have five or more employees, the significant findings of your risk assessment must be recorded in writing. But regardless of your size, risk assessment is the foundation of every health and safety management system — without it, you're managing safety blind.

RADCaT's qualified health and safety consultants carry out thorough, practical workplace risk assessments for businesses of every size and sector across the UK. We don't produce generic templates — we visit your premises, walk your processes, talk to your team and produce site-specific, task-specific assessments that genuinely reflect your operations and give you a clear, prioritised action plan for improvement.

Whether you need a general workplace risk assessment for your office, a task-specific assessment for high-risk activities in a factory, a site-wide review for a multi-building campus, or a pre-project risk assessment for a construction site — RADCaT delivers expert, HSE-compliant assessments tailored to your industry and your operations.

No written statement = automatic 2-4 week additional tribunal award. If an employee brings any successful tribunal claim and you can't produce a compliant written statement, the tribunal MUST make an additional award. Prevention is always cheaper.

Employment Contracts from RADCaT
Types of Risk Assessment

Contract Services We Provide

From single contracts to full workforce rollouts.

Written Statements

Compliant written statements of employment particulars meeting all ERA 1996 requirements. Issued before or on day one of employment.

Full Employment Contracts

Comprehensive employment contracts with additional protective clauses — restrictive covenants, confidentiality, IP, garden leave, deductions, benefits and GDPR processing.

Zero-Hours Contracts

Legally compliant zero-hours worker agreements with correct employment status, exclusivity ban compliance and appropriate terms for casual/flexible working arrangements.

Fixed-Term Contracts

Contracts for fixed-term employees with correct termination provisions, successive fixed-term protections and conversion rights after 4 years continuous service.

Director Service Agreements

Service agreements for company directors covering remuneration, duties, fiduciary obligations, termination, garden leave, restrictive covenants and shareholder approval requirements.

Contract Updates

Review and update of existing contracts to reflect legislative changes, role changes, TUPE transfers, pay reviews and new company policies. Section 4 change notifications.

Workforce Rollouts

Full contract review and re-issue programme for your entire workforce — standardising terms, updating to current legislation and ensuring every employee has a compliant statement.

Contract Variation

Advice and documentation for varying contract terms — including consultation requirements, obtaining agreement, imposing changes and "fire and rehire" considerations.

Our Process

How We Carry Out a Risk Assessment

1

Requirements Analysis

We understand your business, your roles, your pay structures and any specific protective provisions you need — restrictive covenants, IP, confidentiality, shift flexibility.

2

Contract Drafting

Bespoke contracts drafted for each role type — full-time, part-time, zero-hours, fixed-term, director. Tailored to your business, not templates.

3

Legal Review

Every contract reviewed for legal compliance against current ERA 1996 requirements, recent case law and upcoming legislative changes.

4

Issue & Rollout

Contracts prepared for issue with covering letters. For workforce rollouts, we manage the communication, consultation and sign-off process.

5

Ongoing Updates

Contracts updated when legislation changes, roles evolve or company policies are amended. Section 4 change notifications prepared and issued.

Common Questions

Employment Contracts FAQ

When must a written statement be given?

On or before the employee's or worker's first day of work. This is a day-one right — not within two months as was previously the case. The requirement changed in April 2020 and applies to all employees and workers starting on or after that date.

What must the written statement include?

Employer and employee names, start date, continuous employment date, pay and intervals, hours, holiday, place of work, job title/description, notice periods, collective agreements, pension, training entitlement, probationary period, and other benefits. Additional particulars (disciplinary/grievance procedures, sick pay) can follow within two months.

What happens if I don't provide one?

If an employee brings a successful tribunal claim for any reason and you haven't provided a compliant written statement, the tribunal must award an additional 2-4 weeks' pay. This is automatic — there is no discretion. The missing statement also weakens your position in any dispute.

Is a contract the same as a written statement?

A written statement of particulars is the minimum legal requirement. A full employment contract goes further — adding protective clauses like restrictive covenants, confidentiality, IP assignment, garden leave and enhanced provisions. RADCaT recommends full contracts rather than basic statements for maximum protection.

Do zero-hours workers need contracts?

Yes. Zero-hours workers are entitled to a written statement of particulars from day one, just like employees. The contract must reflect the zero-hours nature of the arrangement, comply with the exclusivity ban and correctly describe the employment status.

Can I change contract terms?

Generally only with the employee's agreement. Unilateral changes risk breach of contract claims. We advise on consultation processes, obtaining consent, section 4 notifications and — where necessary — the legal risks of imposing changes.

How much do employment contracts cost?

Based on the number of role types and whether you need basic statements or full protective contracts. Workforce rollout packages for updating all existing contracts. Contact us for a quote.

Need Employment Contracts?

Get in touch for a free discussion about your workforce and we'll provide a clear quote.