3. Starting work and the employment contract

An employment relationship starts when an individual agrees to work for an employer on certain terms. The terms agreed will form a contract and this will determine, for example, how much the person will be paid and the hours that they are expected to work.

A contract will exist once a worker accepts a job and the terms are agreed, but the offer may be made conditional on the basis that certain checks must be satisfactorily completed. The first part of this chapter explains the law relating to pre-employment checks. The remainder of the chapter explains how the terms of an employment contract are established and how they may be changed.