[Boston Spa Cleaning Services]

do employees have to sign a contract or can they opt not to
thanks
ian

[pdl]

If they don't, they lose their rights.  An employer MUST issue a contract within three months of the employee starting work by law.

[Collybolly]

If they don't, they lose their rights. 

That's not true!! For clarification courtesy of CAB......


There is always a contract between an employee and employer. You may not have anything in writing, but a contract will still exist. This is because your agreement to work for your employer and your employer’s agreement to pay you for your work forms a contract.

A contract gives both you and your employer certain rights and obligations. The most common example is that you have a right to be paid for the work you do. Your employer has a right to give reasonable instructions to you and for you to work at your job. These rights and obligations are called contractual terms.

The rights that you have under your contract of employment are in addition to the rights you have under law, such as, for example, the right to a national minimum wage and the right to paid holidays.

etc etc etc...

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/employment/basic_rights_at_work.htm

[Collybolly]

Even if you don't issue a written contract, you are under a legal duty to provide most employees with a written statement of main employment particulars within two months of the start of their employment with you.

The written statement is not itself the contract but it can provide evidence of the terms and conditions of employment between you and the employee if there is a dispute later on. bla bla bla

Some people get confused between the terms 'contract' & 'written Statement' bless...

[Boston Spa Cleaning Services]

thanks for your help and all the best for the new year
ian