Negotiating Changes to a Written Offer of Employment

by | Sep 17, 2019 | For Employees

When you are offered a new job you will almost always be asked to sign a written offer of employment.

If you have had a few years work experience, did you know that this offer is rarely a take it or leave it situation? 

This blog explains why you should carefully review a job offer before accepting it.

Why Employers Have Employment Contracts

Without a written contract, the courts will assume you have certain rights. A contract can take away these rights. So the first thing you need to know is that the contract is written to help the employer; not you.

A Standard Employment Contract Does Not Exist

Almost every employer has a different employment contract. Even though many employers try to use the same employment contract for all employees within the organization there are usually many exceptions. For example, sometimes long service employees were not asked to sign contracts when they were hired. Sometimes an employee has been able to negotiate changes to the standard contract at the time of hire. You want to be one of these employees.

Why Employers Include a Termination Clause in Their Employment Contracts

A court will assume you are entitled to “reasonable” notice of termination unless the contract says otherwise. As a result, almost all contracts include a termination clause that will provide you with less than reasonable notice of termination. Did you know that an employer can reduce your entitlement to notice of termination from 104 weeks to as little as 8 weeks?

How we Can Help

We offer a one hour employment contract service. We review your contract and provide you with our comments and suggest ways it can be changed to benefit you. 

After speaking with one of our lawyers, you will know what the terms of the contract mean and what rights you are giving up.

We will suggest possible changes to the offer. 

Your ability to convince a prospective employer to make changes to a job offer depends on a number of factors. We cannot guarantee that an employer will agree to any specific change. We tell you what changes to the offer are more likely to be accepted than others. We also recommend a strategy on how to negotiate improvements to the job offer.

Read our other blogs about Offers of Employment.

If you have interviewed for a job and have been asked to sign a written offer of employment (or employment contract) please call us at 647-204-8107 to set up a time with one of our lawyers to review the job offer. 

For 30 years, Doug MacLeod of the MacLeod Law Firm has been advising employers on all aspects of the employment relationship. If you have any questions, you can contact him at 416-317-9894 or at [email protected]

The material and information in this blog and this website are for general information only. They should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. The authors make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of any information referred to in this blog or its links. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found on this website or blog. Readers should obtain appropriate professional advice from a lawyer duly licensed in the relevant jurisdiction. These materials do not create a lawyer-client relationship between you and any of the authors or the MacLeod Law Firm.

 

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