UK Employment Rights Act 1996

UK Employment Contracts
Signed Digitally

Compliant UK employment contracts with all Employment Rights Act 1996 provisions — signed digitally before your new hire's first day.

Free plan available · No credit card required · ESIGN Act compliant

ERA 1996
Compliant templates
Day-one
Written statement
SOC 2
Type II certified
UK ECA
2000 compliant
Key Features

Everything You Need

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UK Templates

UK Employment Contract Templates — ERA 1996 Compliant

Written statements of particulars required by the Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended by Good Work Plan 2020) — with all day-one and within-two-months provisions included.

  • Day-one particulars — Pay, hours, holiday, sick pay, pension, and notice — required from day one.
  • Additional particulars — Disciplinary, grievance, collective agreements, and training provisions.
  • Worker contracts — Worker (as distinct from employee) contract templates for casual arrangements.

UK Employment Contract Templates — ERA 1996 Compliant

Day-one and two-month written statement requirements under ERA 1996 covered.

Included on all plans
UK HR

UK HR Onboarding Document Package

UK employment contract, P46/starter declaration guidance, right-to-work documentation acknowledgement, employee handbook sign-off, and GDPR consent — all in one digital onboarding flow.

  • Employment contract — Full contract with all statutory provisions.
  • RTW acknowledgement — Right-to-work documentation process acknowledgement.
  • Handbook sign-off — Employee handbook and policies acknowledgement.

UK HR Onboarding Document Package

Complete UK new hire digital onboarding: contract, RTW, handbook, and GDPR consent.

Included on all plans
UK Legal Validity

Legally Valid UK Employment Contracts

UK employment contracts executed via Zignature are legally binding under the Electronic Communications Act 2000. The audit trail provides evidence of both parties' execution — important in any employment tribunal proceedings.

  • ECA 2000 compliance — E-signed contracts legally valid under UK law.
  • Tribunal evidence — Audit trail provides execution evidence for employment tribunal.
  • Timestamped — Exact signing date and time — critical for notice period disputes.

Legally Valid UK Employment Contracts

ECA 2000 compliant employment contracts with tribunal-ready audit trails.

Included on all plans
Use Cases

Works for Every Scenario

From simple agreements to complex multi-party workflows.

How It Works

Up and Running in Minutes

No training required. Send your first document today.

1

Select UK employment template

Employee, worker, or fixed-term contract templates with UK statutory provisions.

2

Customise for the employee

Role, salary, hours, holiday, and notice period fields populated.

3

Send before start date

New hire signs digitally before their first day.

4

File with HR records

Signed contract with audit trail archived in HR system.

Start Signing in United Kingdom Today

Free trial — no credit card required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know.

Does a UK employment contract need to be in writing?

Yes. Since April 2020, all employees and workers are entitled to a written statement of particulars from day one of employment under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended by the Good Work Plan). This can be provided electronically.

Can UK employment contracts be signed electronically?

Yes. UK employment contracts can be signed electronically under the Electronic Communications Act 2000. The e-signed contract has the same legal force as a wet-ink signature.

What must a UK employment contract include?

Day-one written statement must include: employer/employee names and address, job title, start date, pay, payment intervals, hours, holiday and pay, sick pay, other paid leave, notice periods, pension, and any collective agreements. Additional particulars (disciplinary, grievance, training) must be provided within two months.

What is the difference between an employee and a worker contract in the UK?

Employees have a full employment contract with all ERA rights. Workers are an intermediate category — entitled to national minimum wage, working time rights, and holiday pay, but not unfair dismissal protection. The correct classification affects the contract type and statutory entitlements.

Can UK employers send employment contracts to remote employees?

Yes. Zignature's digital signing is ideal for remote UK employees — contracts sent by email and signed before the start date, legally valid under ECA 2000.

Is a UK employment contract signed via Zignature admissible at an employment tribunal?

Yes. Zignature's audit trail — with timestamp, IP address, and signer identity — provides the execution evidence relevant to employment tribunal proceedings. The timestamped signing date is particularly important for notice period and start date disputes.