Employment contracts in Pierre, South Dakota are legally binding and consist of an agreement between employer and employee regarding specified work conditions. In South Dakota, most employment contracts are negotiable to enable both parties to arrive at an unique agreement suitable for the circumstances. Employment contracts specifying a term of employment provide employees with some measure of job security if conditions are satisfied. They further permit the employer to directly control employee productivity to some degree.

Common Terms in South Dakota Employment Contracts

Job descriptions, wage levels, length of time of employment (or more likely, at will employment), and grounds for promotion or termination are usually included in the majority of South Dakota employment contracts. However, there are also other, less common, clauses that are worthy of notice. First, an arbitration clause requires parties to forego their rights to access the courts for any employment dispute.

Furthermore, the contract can contain a termination clause, also known as a "severance clause". Courts have held that employers who violate these clauses when firing a person may be sued for wrongful termination. Also, non-compete clauses and confidentiality clauses make the information or work obtained or completed by contract employees subject to specific rules.

How Can a Pierre Lawyer Help?

Pierre lawyers who specialize employment laws for the state of South Dakota can help you out in understanding the contents of any given employment contract. You may also get advice from a lawyer about fairness in the contract terms, and they will negotiate specific clauses that will meet your needs in beginning or ending employment.