Terms and conditions of employment: UK employment law

Essential points

• An employment contract, which sets out the terms and conditions of employment, is a key factor in defining the relationship between an organisation and its employees. 

• An employer must provide both employees and workers with a statement of their basic terms such as the hours they will work, how much they will be paid, their holiday entitlement, their place of work, whether they must work a probationary period and so on, on their first day of employment. 

• An employer must provide a more extensive written statement of the employee's or worker’s wider terms including pension eligibility, any collective agreements which will affect the employment relationship, any non-compulsory training that will be provided, and details on discipline and grievance procedures within two months of them starting work. 

• An employment contract contains both express terms agreed between the employer and employee, and implied terms which arise from legislation or common law, or which are implied by custom and practice.