Employment Contracts

Employment Contracts in New York

Employee-Only Contract Guidance Before You Sign or Respond

An employment contract can define far more than your salary. Its terms may control bonuses, commissions, job duties, termination rights, severance, ownership of work product, and restrictions that continue after you leave. We advise New York employees on employment agreements and contract enforceability before they accept new terms or respond to a dispute.

At Goodley McCarthy LLC, we review employment agreements, offer letters, promotion documents, contract amendments, and severance-related agreements from the employee’s perspective. We explain how the language applies to your position and goals, including provisions concerning compensation, termination, restrictive covenants, intellectual property, and choice of law.

Before signing or responding to an employment agreement, call (215) 273-3491 for a free consultation about your rights and options.

Employment Agreement Terms That Deserve Close Review

A contract should be evaluated as a complete document. Attachments, incorporated workplace policies, compensation plans, prior drafts, and written promises may affect how its provisions operate. The practical impact also depends on the employee’s duties, work location, classification, and circumstances.

Important provisions may include:

Compensation: Salary, bonuses, commissions, benefits, payment conditions, and definitions of when compensation is earned
Employment term: Start date, fixed duration, renewal provisions, job duties, and grounds for termination
Severance: Eligibility requirements, payment terms, release language, and continuing obligations
Post-employment restrictions: Non-compete, non-solicitation, confidentiality, and intellectual-property provisions
Dispute procedures: Arbitration requirements, class or collective action waivers, governing law, and venue

Ambiguous commission formulas, broad invention assignments, and termination language that conflicts with a promised fixed term can create legal and practical concerns. Restrictive covenants may also limit where or how an employee can work after leaving a position.

How New York Law May Affect Your Employment Contract

New York generally presumes employment is at will when an agreement doesn’t establish a definite duration. This means either party can ordinarily end the relationship at any time, subject to statutory, contractual, and public-policy limitations. Duration, termination, and renewal provisions may change that analysis.

New York courts evaluate non-compete agreements by considering legitimate business interests, hardship to the employee, possible public harm, and whether the duration and geographic scope are reasonable. Enforceability depends on the provision’s language and the surrounding facts, not its title alone.

State wage notice requirements also call for covered employees to receive written information about pay rates and regular paydays. These notices don’t resolve unclear or conflicting terms in an employment agreement, commission plan, or bonus formula.

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Contract Guidance From a Firm That Represents Employees Exclusively

We represent employees, not employers. That focus shapes how we assess contracts that overlap with unpaid wages, equal pay, retaliation, prevailing wage claims, labor union matters, and other worker protections. We also work with individual employees and labor organizations in disputes involving wages and benefits.

Contract language rarely exists in isolation. A proposed amendment may follow a compensation complaint, a termination provision may affect a retaliation concern, or a restrictive clause may become important after a workplace dispute. We review the agreement in the context of the employee’s circumstances and objectives.

Consultation Options & Costs

We offer free consultations, including virtual consultations throughout our service area. Employees can discuss workplace concerns and potential legal options without committing to representation.

We may handle qualifying matters on a contingency basis, allowing eligible employees to pursue certain claims without upfront attorney fees. Fee arrangements depend on the type and facts of the case, so we discuss costs directly with each employee.

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What to Gather for an Employment Contract Review

Bring the complete agreement, not only the signature page or disputed clause. Related documents can clarify promised terms, proposed changes, and obligations incorporated into the contract. We explain how these materials may affect your rights and responsibilities.

Helpful documents and information include:

The employment agreement, offer letter, and all attachments
Contract amendments, prior drafts, and promotion documents
Bonus plans, commission schedules, and other compensation records
Referenced workplace policies and the current job description
Emails or messages describing promised terms or proposed changes
Any demand letter, termination notice, or enforcement threat

Consider when compensation becomes earned, what happens upon termination, which duties survive departure, and whether restrictions apply to future work. Before signing a revised agreement or responding to a dispute, understand how the proposed change may affect your existing rights.

When Contract Problems Arise After Signing

Contract concerns may surface during employment or after it ends. Common issues include alleged breach, withheld compensation, disputed severance, enforcement of a restrictive covenant, changes to agreed terms, and disagreements about termination rights.

We address breaches of employment contracts as part of our broader New York employee representation. The analysis may turn on the precise wording, the employee’s responsibilities, the governing-law clause, the timing of a change, and the circumstances surrounding signing or termination. We explain how those factors apply and discuss possible next steps without promising a particular negotiation or litigation result.

Workplace Experience Beyond the Contract Language

Founded in 2021, Goodley McCarthy LLC serves employees throughout New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, including Virginia and Maryland. Our work includes wage and hour claims, employer retaliation, equal pay, prevailing wage disputes, labor union matters, and federal employment law. We have helped clients recover significant amounts in unpaid wages and benefits. That experience is relevant when a contract dispute involves commissions, bonuses, compensation changes, benefits, or other workplace rights.

Understand Your Agreement Before Taking the Next Step

We can identify consequential terms, explain possible obligations, and help you evaluate your options before signing, rejecting, or challenging an agreement. Free and virtual consultations are available for employees who need to discuss a proposed modification, restrictive provision, or related workplace dispute. Qualifying claims may be handled on a contingency basis without upfront attorney fees.

Call (215) 273-3491 to request a free consultation with Goodley McCarthy LLC.

Our Results

$126,353.87

Int'l Painters & Allied Trades Indus. Pension Fund v. Madison Coatings Co., Inc., No. 17-1559, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 188759 (D. Md. 2019)
Int'l Painters & Allied Trades Indus. Pension Fund v. Madison Coatings Co., Inc., No. 17-1559, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 188759 (D. Md. 2019) (summary judgment in favor of union benefits funds and against the employer for $126,353.87 in benefit fund contributions and other damages).
$225,000

Bd. of Trs., Roofers Union Local 30 Combined Health & Welfare Fund v. Hughes Urethane Constr. Co., No. 19-1820, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 204654 (E.D. Pa. 2020)
Bd. of Trs., Roofers Union Local 30 Combined Health & Welfare Fund v. Hughes Urethane Constr. Co., No. 19-1820, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 204654 (E.D. Pa. 2020) (summary judgment for union benefit funds and against the employer resulting in $225,000 judgment in favor of the funds).
Judgment Dismissal

Juisti v. City of Chester, No. 18-2317, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 160595 (E.D. Pa. 2019)
Juisti v. City of Chester, No. 18-2317, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 160595 (E.D. Pa. 2019) (summary judgment dismissal of breach of duty of fair representation suit brought against a labor union).

All Results

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