Who it's for
- Small businesses and employers taking on employees in England and Wales
- Employers updating older contracts that still have SSP waiting days or qualifying periods for family leave
- Not designed for zero-hours workers or self-employed contractors
What's included
- ERA 2025 — key changes table with dates and the contract update each needs
- Mandatory written statement — table of 14 items to include
- The contract — 15 clauses: start date; job title and duties; place of work; hours; salary; holiday; statutory sick pay; pension; family leave; probation; notice; disciplinary and grievance; confidentiality; trade union rights; governing law
- Signature blocks for employer and employee
Key points covered
- SSP from the first day of absence, with no waiting days or lower earnings limit (from 6 April 2026)
- Paternity leave and unpaid parental leave as day-one rights
- Holiday of at least 5.6 weeks (28 days for a five-day week)
- Confidentiality clause keeps whistleblowing and legally required disclosures open
- Refers to the Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures
- Flags changes still to come, such as the six-month unfair dismissal qualifying period expected in January 2027
DocPilot templates are drafted from current legislation and official guidance (GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk and the relevant regulators), checked against those sources and fully re-reviewed every six months. They are not legal advice. How we make our documents →
Read the guide
Related documents
Settlement Agreement£24.99 · See what's included →Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)£12.99 · See what's included →Redundancy Pack (ERA 2025)£19.99 · Buy now →
Questions
Does this count as the written statement of employment particulars?
It is set out to cover the required particulars, and includes a checklist so you can confirm nothing is missing. Staff must receive it by their first day.
Is it suitable for zero-hours staff?
No — it assumes set weekly hours. The Zero Hours to Guaranteed Hours Pack is on the templates page.
What about the changes coming in 2027?
The contract flags them. DocPilot reviews templates every six months and when the law changes, so check back for updated versions.
Can I add restrictive covenants?
The template has a confidentiality clause but no post-employment restrictions. For those, take advice from an employment solicitor.
Employment Contract Template 2026
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