Every business will need certain legal documents. This is basically so the owner or those in charge can set out the operation of the business, along with having protection for it and its employees. So, with this in mind here are five legal documents that are generally essential for any company.
Employee contracts
These types of legal documents generally relate to the rights, responsibilities and duties of employees. Of course, there is nothing to say that these have to be in writing. However if you have verbal contracts and anything should happen, it can be hard to resolve issues. It pays to bear in mind that, legally, employees have a right to be provided with a written statement of the terms of their employment within two months of starting work. Therefore, having employment contracts to hand that can be tailored to your needs can be extremely useful.
The standard terms and conditions of the business
Standard terms and conditions templates are needed for any business as these will provide a basis of dealings with customers. A template form can help you to define the nature of work. This type of document may also be used for stating the limitation of liability of a company.
Terms of use for websites
These types of legal documents are needed by a company to make it clear what their website is and what it is not. These types of terms may come in handy even if you are not planning on selling anything on the website. There are numerous matters which may be covered.
Partnership or shareholders agreements
While you will not go into business with any intention of falling out with partners or shareholders, events cannot always be foreseen. If things turn sour, arguments can arise about what will happen to the business. If you have a partnership/shareholder agreement things are a little easier and there is peace of mind for everyone involved.
Commercial lease templates
Commercial lease templates can save you and your business a great deal of trouble, as property leases can be full of things that you didn’t notice. This could include pitfalls, commitments and exclusions. If you don’t know about these you may find yourself liable for large bills if repairs should be needed to the premises. Of course, it goes without saying that in business you should never sign a lease without first having looked over the terms and conditions, preferably with a solicitor.
The above are just five of the many different types of legal documents that you and your business may need. Legal documents are not the easiest thing to understand. However if you download templates that have been professionally designed to meet legal requirements, you can easily tailor them to meet the needs of your business.