Verbal Contracts

[alicebear87]

I have been offered a job which I expect to start soon, however thay do not want to sign a contract for a few weeks to 'see how I get on'. If I work without a written contract do I have any right to be paid for these weeks or can they get away with not paying me?

[Davethedog]

To quote San Goldwyn " a verbal ciontract is not worth the paper its written on"

If you start a job with no contract whats to stop them using you for a "few weeks" and then letting you go?

They can deny anything they have said and you have no comeback.

Unless you are unemployed I would think very carefully about taking this "job"

[Tom Braider]

They don't have to sign a contract document at all (although they do have to give you written notice of the main terms of your employment within 2 months of your start) but that doesn't mean a contract doesn't exist. if they offer you work in exchange for payment and you do the work, there's a contract and they have to pay you. If you don't think you'd get paid unless you could enforce that contract then you must think they can't be trusted - in which case I wouldn't work for them at all.

[terambulan]

Sensible employers would contract an employee, else they leave themselves open to Tribunals, (the bane of most employers).

[Twenty20]

There's just no point to that from the employer's or your point of view. If they decide youre not getting on well enough they can dismiss you anyway, contract or no contract, within the first 12 months. Likewise, you can give notice and leave at anytime too.

If you do want to join the company, you could always write them a letter stating what youre agreeing to in the way of salary, holidays etc. Then there's no argument, not about leaving, but about holiday entitlement, how much they will pay you etc.

[Sarahlou1973]

Most companies will insist on a probationary period in order to assess whether the relationship is working, that the employee's performance is up to scratch etc.