Are you looking to create your own butcher business or expand your existing butcher business? If so, you must consider what is in your employment contracts. Employment contracts define how employees see their role within your business and set up your business structure. While many business owners believe verbal instructions can make up for unclear employment contracts, having a written list of roles and responsibilities will always carry more weight than a verbal agreement. This article explains what you need in your employment contracts as a butcher.
How Should I Include Safety Procedures in My Employment Contracts?
Being a butcher has its fair share of dangers but can be mitigated through sound safety procedures that you reinforce in your employment contracts. You should ensure that your employees know that your business’ safety practices are an essential term of their employment.
Each butcher business has its own safety procedures, and it is never wise to dictate which of those procedures are essential and which are not. Consequently, the safety procedures you want your employees to follow will be your own and should reflect how your business operates.
In addition, you should include a provision stating that non-compliance may give rise to termination. At first, some employees may see these provisions as harsh or arbitrary. However, as a business owner, you are responsible for the safety of your employees and fostering a safe work environment will benefit you, your employees and their families.
As a business owner, you have a legal obligation to provide a safe workplace for your employees and customers. This free guide explains how.
What Are General Terms To Include in Your Employment Contract?
While every butcher business will vary, there are some general terms you should consider including in your employment contracts.
National Minimum Standards
As an employer, you must follow the Fair Work Act and the National Employment Standards (NES). Additionally, your employees might be covered by the Meat Industry Award 2020, so it is important to check the eligibility of that award.
The NES requires employers to give employees 11 minimum entitlements. These entitlements include:
- maximum weekly hours, where full-time employees must work 38 hours weekly;
- flexible working arrangements;
- options for casual conversion;
- parental leave and related entitlements;
- annual leave entitlements, where full-time employees receive four weeks of paid annual leave;
- other leave such as personal leave, compassionate leave, family and domestic violence leave;
- community service leave;
- long service leave;
- paid days off on public holidays unless an employee has reasonably asked to work;
- notice of termination and redundancy pay; and
- information statements to all new employees.
Non-Compete Clauses
Additionally, you should consider restraint of trade clauses. These clauses prevent employees from working with competitors or setting up a similar business in a close-by geographical area. However, you can only enforce these clauses if they are reasonably necessary to protect your legitimate business interests.
Dispute Resolution Clauses
Moreover, setting out how the business would resolve disputes between you and your employees is essential. If a dispute arises, the employment contract should detail:
- what each party needs to do; and
- who they should go to.
Do I Need Legal Advice When Creating My Employment Contracts?
Although it is possible to create your own employment contracts without seeking legal advice, it can prove challenging for a business owner. Moreover, to ensure your business is fully protected, you must understand Federal and State employment laws. Therefore, legal advice is worth looking into, particularly without prior legal experience.
However, as we have seen, your input is essential in ensuring that these employment contracts are suited to your business. As such, it is advisable that before seeking legal advice, you draft a list of terms that you believe are essential for your business. Not only can this reduce the cost of legal advice, but it can also ensure your employment contracts do not end up being generic and misleading.
Key Takeaways
Employment contracts are essential to any business since they can increase business efficiency and ensure that your employees are safe at all times. Therefore, as a butcher, it is crucial your employment contract protects you from any unwanted liability.
If you want assistance drafting your employment contracts, our experienced employment lawyers can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. You will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents for a low monthly fee. Call us today on 1300 544 755 or visit our membership page.
Frequently Asked Questions
An employment contract is an agreement between an employer and an employee that sets out the terms of employment. This contract can be in writing or verbal. These agreements set out all the minimum entitlements and general terms that protect the employee.
It is wise to include safety procedures in the employment contract. As a butcher, employees handle many dangerous tasks. Hence, including safety procedures means protecting yourself from unwanted liability. In addition, the contract is a written record that your business has safety practices to protect employees if any injuries occur.
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