Employment Contracts For Your Cafe

Employment Contracts For Your Café

employment contracts

Your café needs qualified or experienced staff and they all need an employment contract.  Employment contracts are designed specifically for a job spec.  In other words, you can’t use the same contract for a cleaner, a table waiter and the cook.  You might say, “well, that’s obvious, isn’t it?”, but it is surprising how small enterprises often use the same template for everyone, with very few variations, if any. 

Your employment contracts should include the following:

  • Duties and job title
  • Hours and place of work
  • Smoking policy
  • Health and safety certification
  • Specify if the member of staff is allowed or will be expected to handle food
  • Specify if the member of staff is allowed or will be expected to handle drink

Bespoke Contracts Covering Food And Hygiene

The person who will be preparing food should have a very carefully drafted contract addressing various aspects of the business.  Apart from food and hygiene certification, you’ll have to have a smoking policy in place.  Sickness or any health conditions affecting food preparation need to be addressed.  Also, believe it or not, a drug and alcohol policy needs to be set up.  Personal hygiene and safe use of knives procedures, as well as restrictions and confidentiality which may include recipe secrets.

Cleaning And Waiting Staff

Your cleaning and waiting staff may have a more general contract but they too might need to agree to certain terms of your business.  For your waiting staff you need to think of health conditions affecting food handling, personal hygiene and confidentiality.  The other variations in waiting might include use of mobile phones, chewing gum, security, stock control and dress code.  Because waiting staff are dealing with customers, you need to think of language requirements or restrictions.

All contracts should of course include the following:

  • Duties and job title
  • Date of commencement
  • Hours of work
  • Salary
  • Holidays
  • Sickness/maternity/paternity leave
  • Pension
  • Grievance and disciplinary procedures

You will likely need to hire part-time staff whose contracts will be similar to full time staff but with restrictions as well as a variation in hours of work (shift hours).

If you would like to discuss employment contracts for your establishment, please give us a call and one of our solicitors will be happy to advise you.  SG

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