Employment contracts in Bedford, Virginia are legally binding and consist of an agreement between employer and employee regarding stated work conditions. Contracts for employment in the state of Virginia are negotiable, which allows the parties to arrive at an agreement ideally suited to their work relationship. If conditions are met, the employment contract for a set period of time will provide the employee with a guarantee of job security. It also gives employees some degree of control directly over employee productivity.

Common Terms in Virginia Employment Contracts

Virginia employment contracts typically include many terms such as a description of the job, employment duration (generally at-will employment), compensation/benefits, and grounds for terminating. Nonetheless, 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.

Also, 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. Thirdly, non-compete clauses and confidentiality clauses make the information or work obtained or completed by contract employees subject to specific rules.

How Can a Bedford Lawyer Help?

An Bedford attorney specializing in Virginia employment law may help you to understand what a given employment contract contains. 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.