There is a legal obligation to provide every employee with an employment agreement under the Employment Relations Act 2000.

The employment agreement should set out the minimum standards of Employment.

Where there is no collective agreement the individual employment agreement must be in writing and must include:

• The names of the employer and the employee
• A description of the work
• An indication of where the employee is to work
• An indication of arrangements relating to working hours
• Wage rates or salary
• A plain language explanation of services available to help sort out employment relationship problems.
• A requirement to pay at least time-and-a-half for work on a public holiday
• For most employees, there must also be a clause covering the rights of the employee on the sale or transfer of the business, or if work is contracted out
• If you are employing on a trial period of up to 90 days, the length of the trial period must be recorded, plus a dismissal clause.

Check that every employee has a written employment agreement which meets the minimum employment standards.