IS MIJN CONTRACT WETTELIJK BINDEND?
Once you have accepted the offer and the conditions to which the offer was subject to have been satisfied, a legally binding agreement zal exist. For an agreement to be legally binding, the conditions for forming a contract would have to be met, namely there must be an offer, acceptance, intention to create legal relations and consideration. You may have signed a contract to show your acceptance of the terms but contracts can also come into existence by communicating acceptance verbally or electronically so it is important to remember that you don’t need to sign for a contract to exist.
IK WIL NIET MEER MEEDOEN. WAT MOET IK DOEN?
Whether it’s because you have been offered a better job by another company or you’ve just changed your mind, you must remember that you have entered into a contract with your prospective employer. You will need to terminate the contract by tbv the period of notice which is stipulated in your contract of employment. It is important to look at the notice clause in your contract of employment and then give your prospective employer notice in accordance with your contract.
Practically, it is good for you to give notice to your prospective employer as soon as possible so that they can make alternative arrangements. The employer will have invested time and resources by interviewing you and making you offer so it is good practice (and polite) to contact them to explain the situation. You never know when your paths will cross again.
KAN MIJN WERKGEVER IETS DOEN ALS IK HET CONTRACT OPZEG?
If you don’t serve the notice required under your contract of employment, you will be in breach of contract. Your prospective employer will potentially be able to bring a claim against you for breach of contract. However, the prospective employer will be required to prove what loss (if any) has occurred. In most situations, the prospective employer is unlikely to have any loss because you won’t have started work yet. If they have used a recruitment agent, the terms with the agent are likely to stipulate that the recruitment fee is payable only when you have commenced employment or after you have been with the employer for a certain period of time.
MOET IK IETS BETALEN?
It is rare for employers to claim against employees who decide not to join after signing. It is, from their perspective, usually not worth the time and expense of bringing legal proceedings. However, a decision by your prospective employer about whether to bring a claim very much depends on whether there has been any quantifiable loss and the extent of this loss. For example, the prospective employer may incur cost in finding a replacement for you or may have purchased new equipment or machinery pending your arrival. There could be a claim for direct or consequential loss.
ZIJN NO-SHOW CLAUSULES LEGAAL?
A no-show clause in a contract of employment is one which states that you have to pay a certain amount of money in the event that you do not start work with your prospective employer. This is sometimes seen in the contracts of very senior employees who are being recruited to fill a very specific role or for a particular business-critical project. It is possible that the no-show clause is a penalty clause and will therefore be unenforceable. There is also an argument that a no-show clause is a restraint of trade.
Er is echter jurisprudentie die suggereert dat in bepaalde omstandigheden een no-show clausule afdwingbaar is door je toekomstige werkgever en een schadevergoedingsclausule is. De rechtbank zal bij het beoordelen van de afdwingbaarheid van de clausule kijken naar de omstandigheden. Bijvoorbeeld of de partijen juridisch zijn geadviseerd voordat ze het contract aangingen of dat er een document is opgesteld waarin de mogelijke verliezen worden getoond die kunnen optreden als je niet komt opdagen.
If you are an employer or employee and would like further advice about withdrawing from a contract of employment, please contact our employment team op employmentteam@rfblegal.co.uk.
(Let op: Dit artikel is oorspronkelijk gepubliceerd op onze vorige website en dient alleen ter algemene informatie. Hoewel het de juridische situatie weergeeft op het moment van schrijven, kan de wet veranderd zijn sinds de publicatie. Neem contact op met ons team voor up-to-date advies op maat van uw omstandigheden).
