Employment Contract

A written employment contract with the points most countries expect: position, term, hours, pay, leave, notice and the governing law, with the local rules of your country.

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Employment Contract: infographic with a sketch of the document, when to use it, common mistakes and the country versions.
14 clauses, 2 parties, 2 signatures.

Country versions

  • International
  • United States *
  • United Kingdom *
  • Korea *
  • Japan *
  • Germany *

* check with local advice

A template, not advice.

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What it is

An employment contract records the deal between an employer and a person who will work for it: what the job is, when it starts, how many hours a week, how much is paid and when, how much leave there is, and how either side can end the employment. In most countries the law, not the contract, settles the most important points. A good written contract therefore does two things: it states clearly what the law leaves open, and it does not contradict what the law fixes.

This form builds a written contract in the layout your country expects. The international version is a plain numbered contract with a governing-law clause. The Korean version follows the order of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's standard contract, with the pay components, working hours, holidays and annual leave that the Labor Standards Act asks to be put in writing. The Japanese version is a 労働条件通知書 that also works as the contract and includes the "scope of change" and the renewal cap added in 2024. The German version is an Arbeitsvertrag that carries the items of the Nachweisgesetz list. The UK version follows the section 1 statement of particulars, and the US version is at will, with an overtime classification and the trade-secret notice. Fixed term or open term, probation and the notice period are switches inside one form, not separate documents.

When to use it
  • You are hiring someone and want the terms on paper before the first working day.
  • You are asked to sign an employment contract and want to see what a complete one contains.
  • Your country requires a written contract or statement of terms and you want every required item in one place.
  • You need a fixed-term contract, which some countries require to be in writing.
How to fill it in
  1. Choose your country first: the fields and the clauses change with it.
  2. Your company details come from your saved details; type the employee's details.
  3. Enter the job: title, main duties, start date and place of work, and whether the term is open or fixed. Add a probation period only if your law allows one.
  4. Set the working time, the break and the leave. Enter what the contract really gives, not only the legal minimum.
  5. Enter the pay with its amount, currency and period, and when it is paid. Add bonus, allowances and benefits as separate lines.
  6. Check the notice period and the governing law, then print or download the contract and have both sides sign. Each side keeps a signed copy.
Common mistakes
  • Writing a salary without saying whether it is before tax, and per month, per year or per hour.
  • Agreeing a probation period or a notice period that is longer than the law allows.
  • Leaving the end date out of a fixed-term contract, or signing it after work has begun where your country wants it signed before.
  • Copying clauses from another country: an at-will clause does not fit Germany or Korea, and a Japanese notice of working conditions is not a US offer letter.
  • Not giving the employee a signed copy, which several countries require.
  • Slipping a non-compete or a penalty clause into the contract without checking the local rules; use the separate non-compete form and read its notes.
Steps at a glance
  1. Fill in
  2. Check the preview
  3. Save as PDF, Word or Excel
Country versions

Pick the country you need. Each version uses the wording and layout commonly found there; a version marked “check with local advice” should be read by someone who knows the local rules before it is used.

  • International (XX): Written in English, Korean, Japanese, German
  • United States (US): Written in English – check with local advice
  • United Kingdom (GB): Written in English – check with local advice
  • Korea (KR): Written in Korean, English – check with local advice
  • Japan (JP): Written in Japanese, English – check with local advice
  • Germany (DE): Written in German, English – check with local advice

Designs

The same form in several designs. The fields and the wording stay the same; only the look changes.

  • Formal
  • Executive
  • Classic
  • Plain (black and white)
  • Minimal
  • Ledger
  • Modern
  • Compact
  • Side band
  • Warm
  • Boxed form
  • Banner

Your details fill it in

Fields that ask for your name, address or company details are filled from My details, so you do not type them again; you can still change any field for one form. Signed in, your details stay in your account; otherwise they stay in this browser only. A passport, identity or social security number is never saved.

Questions

Can I use this contract as it is?
It is a general template, not legal advice. Employment law is largely mandatory and differs by country and sometimes by region or industry, so check pay, probation, notice and leave against the rules that apply to you before you sign, and have an adviser look at anything unusual.
Do I need a written contract at all?
In many countries a contract can be agreed orally, but the employer still has to give the main terms in writing: a written statement in the UK, the Nachweisgesetz list in Germany, the written statement of working conditions in Korea and Japan. A written contract also settles later arguments about what was agreed.
Can we sign it electronically?
It depends on the country and the document. In Germany the evidence statement may since 2025 be sent in text form (for example by email) under conditions, but the employee can still ask for a signed copy, and a fixed term needs written form. Korea lets the written statement be an electronic document, and in Japan the employer may use email if the worker asks. QuoteBill also offers e-signing for contracts; check which form your country accepts for this one.
What if the contract and the law say different things?
Mandatory employment law generally wins over a contract term that gives the employee less. That is why many clauses say "as the law allows". Where the contract gives the employee more than the law requires, the contract usually applies.
Where do I put a non-compete or a confidentiality undertaking?
This contract has a short confidentiality clause only. A post-employment non-compete is a separate agreement with its own limits in most countries, so use the Confidentiality & Non-Compete form and read the notes for your country.
Is this form legal, tax or accounting advice?
No. It is a template: it gives you the usual structure and wording, not advice. Rules differ by country and case, so have someone qualified read anything that matters before you sign, send or file it.
Which countries and designs does it come in?
It comes in 6 country versions: International, United States, United Kingdom, Korea, Japan, and Germany. 12 designs.

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A form is a template, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules differ by country and case.