Contract for new job

[cymruambyth1]

My boyfriend has been offered a new job, and I have said he should say he would like to take the job but would like to see a contract. Do you think this is out of order to ask for? I didnt see my contract for months in my last job, and then found things in it that I was quite surprised at.
I dont trust the company he is about to work for and feel that he should get a contract up front just to be on the safe side.
Thanks

[mrs_overall]

I don't think a contract is a major issue at this stage. If he starts the job and then they produce a contract, it's not valid unles he's signed it. If there is anything in the contract he doesn't agree with he can negotiate with the employer.

[buildersmate]

I don't agree with the above - its rather too late by then if they say "well its take it or leave it".
One's contract of employment usually consists of several elements - the main parts are the offer letter and the Company Handbook. Any decent company shouldn't have a problem letting him have a Handbook with the offer letter. Usually one signs the offer letter to accept the job.
As a minimum, the offer letter should explain, the salary, the hours of work, the holidays, the pension arrangements, anything about bonuses, how appraisal / performance review is done, some of this list by referencing the Handbook.

[Twenty20]

I agree with buildersmate, it's a bit late by the time you've started work there to find out you don't like some of the terms in their contract.

We always send out a contract with the offer letter so that the potential employee can see exactly what the terms and conditions are.

There's certainly no harm in asking to see the contract before you agree to start. If they seem unforthcoming then I'd wonder why and be a bit concerned about working for them.

[Whoever]

If this job is being offered by a well run professional firm, they will send an offer letter which gives details of his salary, working hours, holiday arrangements, sickness pay. . Other details such as pension scheme, discliplinary arrangements, grievance procedures should also be notified but often some of the details are notified separately in a Terms and Conditions of Employment booklet or brochure. I don't think your boyfriend should start his new job until all this information is on the table. The professionalism of a company is often indicated by the way its HR Department is run, and if they can't behave professionally to a prospective new employee, what message does that give about how they will behave once he's signed up for the job?