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Monthly Archives: September 2013

Sifting Through the Various Legal Templates You May Need to Download

Anyone starting up a business, whether big or small, will need to get their hands on certain legal forms. Downloading legal templates is one of the best ways to sift through the various documents. A website offering you access to templates 24/7 for a one-off fee is often the cheapest way to obtain the documents vital to you, not to mention the easiest way.

The different categories of legal templates

It can be quite daunting to see the many different categories of legal templates there are available, which you may need in the running of your business. What’s great about templates is that you can download them, alter them to suit your business and then print them out. This may be able to save you and your company a lot of money if you don’t have to go running to a lawyer to draft a document every time you need one. So what document templates might you come across?

Documents and legal forms may be divided into categories such as Business, Employment, Corporate, Health and Safety and Property. Within each of these there could be a wide range of templates, ranging from a legal contract template to policies, statements of employment and letters. When you take out a yearly subscription you would be able to access any of the legal forms and templates within the folder, typically for a period of one year.

If you are employing people then you will need legal templates in relation to employment. One of these is a legal contract template, but others include employment offer letters, forms related to recruiting staff, those in relation to disciplinary and grievance, and maternity/paternity leave. Legal forms are complex, and they can be overwhelming for those not familiar with them. Templates, however, make things a little easier for the business owner as they are always kept up to date on the website to reflect any changes to the law.

Benefits of taking membership for legal templates

There are lots of benefits to taking out a yearly membership with a website offering various legal forms, for instance:

• You pay one fee and for this you have access to hundreds of different legal contracts, letters, forms and agreements
• Over a year you are able to download as many of the above as you want and download them at any time of the night or day
• All templates can be modified to meet different scenarios and businesses very easily and then printed out
• You have on hand a wide range and selection of documents to ensure that you and your business are protected legally
• You get easy access to records of every template that you have downloaded from the website
• You can see at a glance when documents and forms have been updated to the latest versions. This means you can download the new copy
• You even get update alerts sent to you about new versions of legal templates and legal forms
• If you opt to receive a newsletter you are kept up to date with any changes to the law related to the templates.

What May be Found in a Contract of Employment?

If you are an employer, you will need what is known as a ‘contract of employment’. This is due to the fact that you have to give an employee your set of rules and regulations, which is called a “written statement of employment particulars”. This document has to be given to your new worker within two months of them starting work. A statement of employment particulars is the minimum that the law requires; however, employers are not fully protected by it. A comprehensive employment contract can work out much better for employers and employees. Luckily, you are able to sign up and download an employment contract template from a website offering document templates.

What exactly is an employment contract?

A contract of employment is typically comprehensive and allows the employer to detail the duties of their employees, along with any responsibilities. This ensures that employees know what is expected prevents misunderstandings.

There are many different types of employment contract templates available for download and these can be tailored to fit the needs of your particular business. For instance, a basic standard minimum contract will differ from those which are suitable for more senior staff, such as an executive employment contract. The difference between document templates could, for example, be the inclusion or exclusion of confidentiality clauses. You can generally find a contract of employment template to suit any scenario.

Elements of the template

Depending on the documents you have downloaded, you would typically find the following included in the template.

• The employee name and address in full along with the organisation details
• The date the employee started working for you. This is a very important thing to have on the form
• The exact job description and title of the job, which was specified when advertising the job, along with any offer letter that you sent
• The exact location where the employee works
• The amount of hours the employee works. The employee may also agree to working additional hours, providing it is reasonably requested by the employer. Bear in mind that this cannot generally exceed 48 hours in any week
• Salary details should be included, which cover the salary before tax and national insurance, along with deductions, if any. This section should state the date when payment is made
• Holidays should be stated and this becomes important if there are any busy times when the employer wants to prevent employees from taking time off work. It should state the amount of days per year holiday that the employee can take. Bear in mind that there is a 28 day statutory minimum for employees working a five day week.

Of course, the above are just a few of the many things that should be included in any employment contract template that you download to use in your business. It is likely that there will be many other clauses, such as those relating to retirement, severability, notice periods, sickness and disability.

Five Legal Documents Essential for Any Company

Every business will need certain legal documents. This is basically so the owner or those in charge can set out the operation of the business, along with having protection for it and its employees. So, with this in mind here are five legal documents that are generally essential for any company.

Employee contracts

These types of legal documents generally relate to the rights, responsibilities and duties of employees. Of course, there is nothing to say that these have to be in writing. However if you have verbal contracts and anything should happen, it can be hard to resolve issues. It pays to bear in mind that, legally, employees have a right to be provided with a written statement of the terms of their employment within two months of starting work. Therefore, having employment contracts to hand that can be tailored to your needs can be extremely useful.

The standard terms and conditions of the business

Standard terms and conditions templates are needed for any business as these will provide a basis of dealings with customers. A template form can help you to define the nature of work. This type of document may also be used for stating the limitation of liability of a company.

Terms of use for websites

These types of legal documents are needed by a company to make it clear what their website is and what it is not. These types of terms may come in handy even if you are not planning on selling anything on the website. There are numerous matters which may be covered.

Partnership or shareholders agreements

While you will not go into business with any intention of falling out with partners or shareholders, events cannot always be foreseen. If things turn sour, arguments can arise about what will happen to the business. If you have a partnership/shareholder agreement things are a little easier and there is peace of mind for everyone involved.

Commercial lease templates

Commercial lease templates can save you and your business a great deal of trouble, as property leases can be full of things that you didn’t notice. This could include pitfalls, commitments and exclusions. If you don’t know about these you may find yourself liable for large bills if repairs should be needed to the premises. Of course, it goes without saying that in business you should never sign a lease without first having looked over the terms and conditions, preferably with a solicitor.

The above are just five of the many different types of legal documents that you and your business may need. Legal documents are not the easiest thing to understand. However if you download templates that have been professionally designed to meet legal requirements, you can easily tailor them to meet the needs of your business.

The Various Types of Business Document Templates Available

When starting your own business, there are 101 things that you need to run it efficiently and within the law. One of these is access to various types of business documents and templates and one of the easiest ways to have access is through a website that offers them. It saves time and money if thousands of different document templates are available to download at the click of a button. So, what are the various templates that you might need?

Open access to a wide range of different categories

Typically, you can get access to a wide range of different categories of document templates, from standard corporate documents to templates for specific applications. You will have peace of mind knowing that all the templates you download will be up to date, are professionally drafted and fully editable, meaning that you can tailor them to your exact needs. After subscribing, you will be able to access document templates over the course of a year, as and when you need them. Business document templates are divided into many sub-categories, which make it easy when trying to find one which meets your requirements. Here are a couple of category examples:

Legal and business forms

These legal forms, along with business letters, can help you manage transactions on a daily basis, whether you are the buyer or the seller of goods. A data protection policy template can also help you when it comes to handling customer data.

Under this category you may find the following documents:

• Invoice templates
• Trade credit application forms
• Purchase order templates.

Sale and supply of goods templates

Your business may rely on the sale and supply of goods, and there are plenty of templates to download which can easily be edited and tailored for many different types of transactions. These kinds of documents can provide assurance that all parties to any business transactions will be aware of any rights and obligations. This will allow your transactions to proceed as smoothly and efficiently as possible. There are many types of business document templates in this category, including:

• Agreements for sale and supply of goods
• Agreements for sale or return of goods
• Terms of business for supplying goods
• Doorstep selling terms of business.

The above are just two examples of the categories of document templates available, along with the many different sub-categories of documents that you may need at some point, all of them customisable. Other categories include Service Agreements, Terms and Conditions, IT & software and Internet & E-commerce. Depending on the type of business, you may additionally need to download templates for terms and conditions for websites, IP and confidentiality agreements, debt recovery forms and commercial agreements. When subscribe you gain access to a range of templates to meet all your business needs.

Finding the Perfect Job Application Form Template for Your Business

Finding the perfect job application form template is essential for any business that plans on offering positions in an effort to expand its workforce. Luckily, you can join up with a company such as Simply-Docs and gain access to a whole library of document templates to use, saving you both time and money. For a small fee, you can locate and download any business forms you want at any time of the day. Any business that is recruiting will need to ensure that all of the angles are covered, and employment forms can help you do this easily.

Advantages of having job candidates complete a form from a template

When you have a position open within your business, there are obvious advantages to having candidates fill in a job application form. However, designing your own form can be tedious. It is much easier to download a template and then tailor it to fit the needs of your business and the position that you are offering.

A template will have the information written on it as a standard format, which of course you are free to add to and change. Having each candidate fill out the form makes it easier for you and your team to assess each of them to ensure that you are making a fair comparison, and to look at them objectively based on description of the job. This means that you are more likely to find the most suitable candidate for the post.

Employment application forms and templates can make the task of searching through your applicants a great deal easier, and you can narrow them down quickly. This is essential if you have a lot of candidates applying for the same position. You will be able to focus on the most important questions that people have answered on the form.

Making sure that your job application form complies with employment legislation

One of the biggest advantages to downloading templates is that you can be sure the form will meet various rules of employment legislation.

The company which provides your templates should give you peace of mind that every stage of your recruitment process meets the Equality Act 2010 in any areas which involve documentation. Along with providing applicants with an application form, you may also wish to ensure that guidance notes accompany them.

In relation to job application forms, there are certain things that you have to be careful about asking. For instance, you will not want to demand the date of birth of any candidate. Personal details are one area where special attention has to be paid on job application forms; for example, there should be no request for any information which could lead to discriminating between candidates on the basis of their age, gender or sexual orientation. When downloading templates from a reputable provider, all of these factors will already have been taken into account, which again provides you with peace of mind that you are meeting the guidelines when it comes to the law.

Benefits to choosing document templates online

If you are considering going into business or have just started then you may be pleased to know that you can download business related document templates online. There are many benefits to taking out membership with a company offering quality templates, and here we look at just some of them.

Gain access to virtually hundreds of business templates

It doesn’t matter if you are looking for templates for business contracts or just standard terms and conditions; you can get access to hundreds of templates online. Being able to get hold of all your business templates in one place makes life a great deal easier, as you don’t have to go searching around online for a template that you suddenly find that you need.

Tailoring online templates to meet the needs of your business exactly

One of the biggest benefits to online templates is that you are able to download pre-made document templates from many different categories and then tailor the form to meet your exact needs. Templates are typically very flexible and they are able to meet your requirements with very little alteration. You could download the template and then experiment with it until you get it to meet the needs of your business perfectly, without having to start from scratch trying to design your own and not knowing if you have included everything needed to make the form legitimate and legal.

Choosing a company who offers templates

There are many ways to get hold of templates associated with your business online. There are some templates that you can get for free. However bear in mind that these are perhaps not the best option. What may be better if you are relying on templates is to become a member of a company offering you the opportunity to pick and choose from hundreds of online examples in many different categories. When looking for such a company you may wish to consider the following:

Ease of use – you may wish to check how easy it is to use the website and download templates. If the website offers hundreds of templates you don’t want to have to spend a long time searching for the correct template. It would be easier if they stored them in different sections. These could be Business, Corporate and Health and Safety, for example.

One subscription, hundreds of templates – you may wish to check that with your yearly subscription you are able to gain access to download as many templates as you want during that year.

Professionally drafted templates – consider the quality of templates on offer. Make sure that the templates on offer are professionally drafted and that they are legal and easy to use and edit to meet your needs.

Access around the clock – make sure that you are not restricted when it comes to gaining access to the templates. You never know when you might need to find a certain template and you should be able to type in your username and password and be able to gain access at your convenience.

Make sure you keep up to date with business documents

It doesn’t really matter if you are providing services or you are obtaining them for business; there is no getting away from the fact that you have to keep up to date with the latest business documents.
Why terms of business are so important

A terms of business template can help you to set out rules about your services for any potential clients, and so these are essential before you can even get down to work with a client. Terms of business will ensure that everything is out there and above board and that nothing is going to come back to bite you, as the terms will be in black and white for both parties to see. Along with terms of business a service agreement will allow both the client and the provider know just what is expected from each other. This includes things such as obligations and rights under the contract and how transactions are to proceed. A terms and conditions template is another valuable document that you can tailor to your needs to suit your business. Of course, keeping up to date with documentation is essential.

Things to consider when looking for templates

By going with a company which allows you to download all the templates you want in a year, you will know that they update the forms to keep everything legal, and this provides you with peace of mind that you can stay on top when things change with the latest documents.

Not all standard service agreement templates might be suitable and you could struggle to change one to suit your particular business. In this case, service agreements that can be used in many broader situations would be ideal for you. Templates such as these could be changed easily so that you could use them for many different services. This would make this type of document more appealing and suitable for use with an even wider range of businesses and tasks. Bear in mind that there could be many different types of forms available to you.

For instance, you could be looking for:
• A standard service agreement that would work for business to business or business to consumer
• Service terms and conditions that clarify binding terms
• A service agreement that comes with project milestones. Such as template may be divided into milestones and payments may be made when one party has reached a certain milestone
• Service agreement with other services in a project. You could need this if the services are part of a bigger project and the person offering services needs to work with more than one contractor
As you can see when it comes to document templates relating to business there is a great deal to consider if you are to get things right and keep on top of new changes.

Different types of business documents available

The type of business documents that your firm uses will be dependent on the type of sector in which you operate. However, there are some documents that most businesses will be able to use. Here we take a look at some of the many different types of documents that you may need for your business:

Business plans along with business goals

One of the first documents that you will come across when starting any venture is the business plan. This is a document you draw up which outlines your goals and objectives. The business plan will generally include a management plan, along with a budget and possibly marketing strategies. During the first few years, a business plan is essential as it provides a blueprint and has strategic goals for the business to meet.

Documents relating to accounting

Keeping your accounts up to date is essential when it comes to tax time. You may have a department that takes care of accounting, depending on the size of your business. If you are doing the accounting yourself you will need documents so that you can keep track of what is coming in and what is going out. Your company may also need to write financial reports for any investors and/or shareholders.

Customer services documentation

If your company is selling products or services you may have a customer service department. This service will typically also answer any questions that customers may have and/or deal with complaints. Documents that are common and which relate to clients and the customer service department include order forms, complaint forms and brochures or leaflets with the descriptions of the services and products your company offers.

Documents for the operation of your business

There may be many different types of document that you need for the running of your business. These could include meeting minutes for use during meetings and proposals for projects. Other documents may include terms and conditions, contracts, agreements or terms of business. For your firm to operate legally you may also need several types of legal documentation.
Documents you may need for employees

When taking on employees there are certain documents that you would need. Documents such as these may include a contract of employment. If your business requires this you can download a contract of employment template and base your document on this one and tailor it to meet your needs.

Keeping all employees up to date with health and safety is essential and you will want to have a health and safety document in place in case of accidents in the workplace. Accidents can be recorded on an accident sheet or a health and safety form. Again you can download templates, which you can then tailor to meet the needs of your particular business.

Choosing and using legal templates

Purchasing ready-made legal templates can save a company a lot of time. There is no shortage of professional templates available online and they are generally offered for a wide range of business aspects; you can generally come across anything from service agreements to terms and conditions.

A cost effective solution – unlimited instant downloads each year

So what are the benefits of taking out membership with a website offering templates for a business? Typical benefits could include:

• Gaining access to hundreds of forms, legal contracts, letters and much more, for the price that it could cost for just purchasing one
• Membership that offers unrestricted access around the clock
• Having access to a portfolio of documents that is constantly being updated, meaning you always have the very latest version of the legal document you need
• Having access to a large range of legal documents and templates that is regularly being expanded, to ensure that you have the protection you need for your business
• Receiving alerts by email to remind you when documents have been updated to make sure that you always remain up to date
• Being made aware of other documents which relate to those that you have downloaded
• The option of seeing which documents you have downloaded and being able to access them at all times
• Receiving a monthly newsletter telling you about changes with legislation to ensure that you remain up to date with legal aspects

What types of documents are available?

There is typically a whole range of legal documents available for download. These will be put into virtual folders, which make it a great deal easier to find just what you are looking for quickly and easily. For instance you could have direct access to:

• Forms relating to identity trade credit risks, minimising trade credit risk, management of trade credit, late debt payments and taking legal action
• Forms relating to creditors and protection by way of problems with creditors, corporate insolvency or limiting exposure to creditors
• Sale management documents such as the legal principles of selling, international trade, network building and advertising and promotions
• Commercial property documentation by way of choice and acquisition, terms and conditions for commercial lease and the responsibilities of the occupier

Of course these are just a few of the numerous forms that you could gain access to and all for a single fee per year.

Wouldn’t life be a lot easier for you when it came to the legal aspect if you had a wide range of legal documentation to download when you needed it? For example you may need a business contract template urgently. What if you wanted a business agreement template? These are just two of the documents you could get your hands on 24/7 from the comfort of your computer. You would have them within minutes. Services offering templates know that your time can be of the essence to you in business. They also know how important it is for you to keep your business up to date when it comes to the law. Why risk falling foul of legislation when you can be kept up to date and have the latest copy of the template you need?

Document templates can make launching a business easier

Starting a business can open up a whole new chapter in your life and it enables you to become the master of your own destiny. If your enterprise proves a success, you also stand to gain potentially significant financial rewards.

However, there are many hurdles to overcome en route and one of them is the raft of legislation that exists. Business and employment laws serve a very important purpose, but coping with them as a new company can be difficult.

Be shrewd

Rather than attempting to muddle through yourself, it can help to take advantage of the legal templates that are available. Here at Simply-docs we offer an array of document templates that should help you remain on the right side of the law with minimal hassle and expense.

By being shrewd and using these resources, you can reduce your stress levels and free up more of your time to get on with the other important tasks facing you.

Starting out

There’s so much to think about when your enterprise remains in embryonic form. For example, you’ll have to work out which legal structure is right for you and register your company. Of course, there’s also the vital issue of financing to consider and you may need to find a suitable premises and take on personnel.

All of this takes time and energy, and it’s crucial that you adhere to the law at all times. If you don’t, you’re storing up trouble for the future.

Here to help

By using our templates, you should find it easier to conform to the legislation and the great thing is, you don’t have to break the bank to take advantage of our documents.

Our portfolio of legal and business document templates is divided into five folders, namely business, corporate, employment, health and safety and property. Each of these folders contains a wide selection of contract templates, agreements, forms, policies, statements and letters for you to use. By subscribing to a folder, you’ll get unlimited access to download any and all documents from that folder for the duration of one year.

Easy to use

You should find it quick and easy to locate the relevant templates, whether you’re after health and safety policies, corporate documents or anything else. Meanwhile, once you’ve accessed them, you’ll find them simple to use and edit.

A savvy investment

Accessing these templates may require a little expenditure, but this should prove to be a savvy investment. After all, our documents are great value for money and they can help you to avoid potentially costly legal battles.

The last thing a fledgling business needs is to be dragged through the courts. Whether you accidentally contravene health and safety laws, employment legislation or anything else, this could have a disastrous impact on your finances and your emerging reputation.

With our help, you should find it easier to avoid these complications. To find out more about what we have to offer and to get the full low down on the documents we provide, just take a look around the rest of our website.

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