If you have read the article Types of Employment Contracts, you already know what type of contract you can offer your employee. Before your new employee starts work, however, you have a number of responsibilities as an employer. Familiarize yourself with these, as any failure to do so could result in a financial penalty for your company. Read the article to the end and find out how to hire an employee on an employment contract.
How to hire an employee on an employment contract – How to prepare an employment contract?
Regardless of the type of work you do, a contract should always be drawn up in writing, in two identical copies. One copy of the contract you keep for yourself and put in part “B” of your personnel file, the other is taken by the employee. The contract must be signed before the employee is allowed to work and must include:
- the date the work begins,
- the length of time you work, e.g., full-time,
- the amount of pay for the work,
- the type of work you do,
- the place of work (in some situations due to the nature of the work the address of the employer’s registered office or workplace may be specified. In other cases, e.g. sales representatives, a specific geographical area where the employee will perform his duties should be specified, e.g. “Lower Silesia Province”).
Before signing a contract – medical examination
You cannot allow a person to work without a current medical certificate, which states that there are no contraindications to work on a particular position. The employee is obliged to undergo a medical examination. He must do this at the employer’s expense and preferably during working hours. Refusal to perform them can be treated as a violation of the order, which may be grounds for the employer to terminate the employment contract without notice. It is your responsibility to issue three copies of the examination referral – for the future employee, for the medical facility, and to place in the personal file of the person you hire. Remember to indicate the new employee’s job title on the referral. If the nature of the work requires contact with agents that are dangerous or harmful to health, you must list these in the referral.
Prior to employment – Health and Safety training
When you hire a new employee you must provide the employee with safety training. This training must take place before the employee starts work and after the training the employee must confirm in writing that the training has taken place. It is your responsibility to make the employee aware of health and safety regulations, instructions and guidelines. In addition, you must inform the employee of the risk assessment and the rules of protection against hazards.
How to hire an employee on a job contract – After signing the contract
Within 7 days of signing the employment contract you are obliged to inform the employee in writing about the basic conditions of employment. This information should include
- daily and weekly working hours,
- holiday leave,
- the length of the notice period,
- frequency of payment for work performed,
- the collective agreement the employee is covered by (if such an agreement is in force).