AI Employment Contract Review UK
Check your terms of employment before you sign. Arbiter flags restrictive covenants, IP grabs, and unfair clauses in plain English.
An employment contract review checks your terms of employment for unusual restrictive covenants, unfair notice periods, IP assignment clauses that claim your side projects, and post-termination restrictions. VP Arbiter's AI analyses your contract clause by clause, assigns severity ratings, and explains each risk in plain English — so you know what you are agreeing to before you sign.
What Arbiter Checks in an Employment Contract
Notice Period & Garden Leave
Unusually long garden leave provisions tied to notice periods can effectively prevent you joining a competitor while still technically employed.
Non-Compete Scope & Duration
Post-termination non-compete clauses that are geographically wide or longer than 6–12 months are frequently unenforceable.
IP Assignment Clauses
Clauses claiming ownership of all IP created by the employee — including personal projects — extend well beyond what courts typically uphold.
Unilateral Variation Rights
Employer rights to change location, hours, or pay without consent should be clearly bounded. Open-ended variation clauses are a red flag.
Non-Solicitation Restrictions
Client and staff non-solicitation clauses that are overly broad or lack a legitimate business interest may not withstand legal challenge.
Holiday Entitlement & Pay
Contractual holiday entitlement, carry-over rights, and payment in lieu on termination should comply with Working Time Regulations 1998.
Employment Contract Red Flags
- 01
Garden leave clause covering the full notice period — allows the employer to pay you but prevent you from working for a competitor for months.
- 02
Wide non-compete clause covering your entire industry, not just specific competitor businesses or geographic markets.
- 03
IP assignment clause using language such as "all inventions, works or developments" without limitation to your role or working hours.
- 04
Unilateral variation clause allowing the employer to change any contract term at their sole discretion.
- 05
Entire agreement clause that may extinguish verbal promises made during the recruitment process.
- 06
Jurisdiction and governing law outside England and Wales, adding cost and complexity if a dispute arises.
- 07
Deductions from wages clause allowing the employer to recover training costs, relocation expenses, or loans from final salary without clear limits.
- 08
Conflicting provisions between the main contract and a staff handbook incorporated by reference — creating uncertainty about which terms govern.
How It Works — Three Steps
01 · Paste
Copy your employment contract text into the Arbiter input. PDF upload available on paid plans.
02 · Analyse
Arbiter's AI reads every clause, identifies risk patterns, and assigns severity ratings.
03 · Review
Receive a structured report flagging problematic clauses with plain-English explanations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I check in a UK employment contract?
Key areas to check include notice period and garden leave provisions, post-termination restrictions (non-compete, non-solicitation), IP assignment clauses that may claim ownership of work done outside your role, annual leave entitlement, holiday pay on termination, and any unilateral variation clauses.
Are non-compete clauses enforceable in the UK?
Non-compete clauses are enforceable in the UK only if they protect a legitimate business interest and are reasonable in scope, geography, and duration. Courts regularly strike down overbroad non-compete clauses. VP Arbiter flags non-competes that appear disproportionately wide.
Can my employer own my side-project IP?
Many employment contracts contain IP assignment clauses that purport to assign to the employer all intellectual property created by the employee, including work done outside working hours. VP Arbiter flags IP clauses that extend beyond the employee's normal role.
What is a unilateral variation clause?
A unilateral variation clause allows the employer to change contract terms — such as location, hours, or pay — without your consent. Such clauses are common but should be scrutinised for scope. VP Arbiter highlights variation clauses that give employers unusually wide discretion.
Is VP Arbiter's employment contract review free?
Yes. VP Arbiter offers one free contract analysis per 30 days. Unlimited reviews are available from £9/month. No account is required for your first analysis.
Free · No Account Required
Review Your Employment Contract Free
Paste your contract into Arbiter and receive a plain-English risk report before you sign.
Analyse Your Contract Now →Not legal advice · Consult a qualified solicitor before signing