Most employment relationships are considered "at-will" and are not defined by written contracts. In these types of business relationships, either party may terminate the employment arrangement for practically any reason, except for those prohibited by state or federal law, such as discrimination. In some situations, however, an employer might need to consider negotiating a written employment agreement to meet the requirements of a key executive or professional, define performance expectations and incentives, specify the details of compensation and equity options, and outline the reasons that could support termination for cause and severance terms. Employment agreements for key executives also routinely contain restrictive covenants, which would restrict the departing employee from competing against his or her former employer with the highly sensitive information learned during the employee's tenure.
Contact the Law Office of Michele L. Ross, LLC, in Englewood Cliffs if you need a lawyer's advice about professional or executive contract negotiation and drafting for your business. While our employment contract clients tend to be employers, often in the context of an existing general counsel relationship, we can advise and represent those seeking a written contract as a condition of accepting an employment offer.
New Jersey Executive Compensation Attorney: Call 201-568-2064
Employment contracts can come up in a variety of situations in small businesses ranging from when an owner-managed business seeks outside executive help or needs to fill a crucial professional position or when one or more members of an equity group will take an active role with daily business operations, or when the departure of a principal creates an open position on the company's management or professional team, or when growth and expansion require additional executive talent to meet new business challenges.
Bergen County employment contract attorney Michele L. Ross, Esq. can help you think through the specifics of your situation, starting with exploring the need for a negotiated agreement, then working out the details related to any or all of the following:
- Job description, core responsibilities and secondary functions
- Compensation in salary, incentives, stock options, benefits or perquisites
- Performance benchmarks
- Relocation expenses
- Employment term, with or without renewal or buyout options
- Defined cause for termination
- Noncompete, confidentiality and other restrictive covenants
- Severance terms
- Arbitration or mediation clauses
- Other terms essential to either party's execution and performance of the agreement
As well as negotiating, drafting and enforcing executive and professional employment agreements, Michele L. Ross, Esq. also advises clients about separation, termination, waiver, severance agreements and other aspects of dissolving the employment relationship. Ms. Ross can also represent you in court on either side of a breach of contract claim.
To find out more about our law firm's experience with professional or executive employment contracts in New Jersey, contact the Law Office of Michele L. Ross, LLC, in Englewood Cliffs.
