As the new school year gets under way, one task which UK human resources professionals may wish to set themselves by way of homework is to update their employment contracts and policies. This is a process which it is advisable to conduct on a reasonably regular basis to ensure that an employer’s documentation is up to date and reflects not only the employer’s current business but also legislative and case law developments which may prompt the updating of contracts or the introduction or amendment of employment policies.

There are various areas where specific consideration may need to be given to the updating of employment contracts and other documentation, particularly in relation to key executives in order to maximise business protection. Whether they are appropriate will of course depend on a variety of factors including the nature of the employer’s business and the level of seniority of the employee. A selection of possible areas in relation to which employment documentation could need to be updated is as follows.