Where a hire depends on a date, authorisation or project confirmation, a pre-contract can document the commitment. It must be drafted precisely.
Who makes the commitment
The organisation and future worker must be identified, and the signatory must have sufficient authority.
Which role or activity is offered
Duties, category, location and responsibilities should be defined to avoid incompatible interpretations.
When the person is expected to start
State a date or objective criterion and clearly express any future condition on which hiring depends.
Which essential terms are agreed
Contract type, hours, duration, pay and collective agreement help define the commitment.
What happens if it cannot proceed
Conditions, deadlines and grounds for ending the agreement should be drafted carefully.
Practical review
Offer, pre-contract and employment contract
- An offer proposes terms; whether acceptance is binding must be assessed.
- A pre-contract records a future hiring commitment to the extent of its content.
- An employment contract governs the actual work and its conditions.
Legislative sourceBOE · Official consolidated text
Information updated on 9 September 2026. Effects depend on each document’s content and circumstances.