Written Statement for Full Time Employees

A written statement of employment particulars is the document that sets out the core terms of a job: pay, hours, place of work, holiday, notice, and where to find the disciplinary and grievance procedures. It's required under Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, and applies to every employee, full-time or part-time, from their first day of work.

It is narrower than a full employment contract. A contract can include many more terms, agreed verbally or in writing, and covers the whole relationship between employer and employee. The written statement is the fixed set of particulars the law says must be given in writing, and it often forms part of a wider contract rather than replacing one.

The terms get used interchangeably, but they aren't quite the same thing. A written statement is the specific set of particulars the law requires in writing. An employment contract is the wider agreement between employer and employee, which can include the written statement's contents alongside other terms agreed verbally, through a staff handbook, or through custom and practice at the workplace.

In practice, most employers combine the two: a single document, often called a "contract of employment," that covers everything Section 1 requires plus additional terms the employer wants in writing. Using the generator above produces a document that satisfies the Section 1 requirement on its own, whether or not a separate longer contract also exists.