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Employment status (worker, employee, self-employed, director or contractor) affects employment rights and employer responsibilities in the workplace

• Overview

  In employment law a person’s employment status helps determine: their…

• Worker

  A person is generally classed as a ‘worker’ if: they have a contract or…

• Employee

  An employee is someone who works under an employment contract. A person…

• Employee shareholders

  An employee shareholder is someone who works under an employment contract…

• Self-employed and contractor

  A person is self-employed if they run their business for themselves and…

• Director

  Company directors run limited companies on behalf of shareholders.…

• Office holder

  A person who’s been appointed to a position by a company or organisation…

• Legal decisions on employment status

  A court or employment tribunal (known as an industrial tribunal in…

Who can set up employee ownership, employee shares and engagement, employee directors, model documentation

A contract is an agreement between employee and employer setting out implied and explicit terms and conditions - written statement of particulars, collective agreements

• Overview

  All employees have an employment contract with their employer. A contract…

• Contract terms

  The legal parts of a contract are known as ‘terms’. An employer should…

• Collective agreements

  An employer may have an agreement with employees’ representatives (from…

• Written statement of employment particulars

  An employer must give employees and workers a document stating the main…

• Problems with a written statement

  If an employee or worker has a problem receiving their written statement,…

Employers' responsibilities for different contract types: full-time, part-time, fixed term, agency workers, consultants, zero hours, family members, volunteers and young workers

Get your business ready to employ staff - your responsibilities as an employer, register with HMRC, set up PAYE, get insurance

Employee rights and employer legal obligations - the Information and Consultation of Employee regulations, setting up information and consultation agreements, complaints

Employ someone: agree a contract, right to work checks, DBS checks, workplace pensions, set up PAYE, tell HMRC

Guidance you should consider when considering the employee shareholder employment status.

• Updated: 23 November 2016

Check examples to help you calculate your employee's wages, National Insurance contributions and pension contributions if you're claiming through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

• Updated: 29 October 2021

Personal data an employer can keep about an employee, and employee rights to see this information under data protection rules