Employment: templates and forms

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who is leaving their job: a letter that resigns, states the notice your contract requires (at least one week once you have worked a month, section 86 of the Employment Rights Act 1996) and the last day of employment, and asks for written confirmation, final pay including holiday earned and not taken, and your P45. Hand it to your manager and send it by email the same day, keeping a copy.

For an employer in England, Wales or Scotland taking on an employee on a permanent contract: a contract that is also the written statement of employment particulars under section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, which every employee and worker must have on or before their first day. It sets out the job, place of work, pay, hours, at least 5.6 weeks' holiday, sick pay, pension enrolment, notice and where the disciplinary and grievance rules are. Acas publishes free written-statement templates. Signed by both; each keeps a copy.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who is the child's father, or the mother's spouse, civil partner or partner: a notice of paternity leave — one week, two weeks together or two separate weeks, within a year of the birth — giving the expected week of childbirth, the dates and the declaration that you will share responsibility for the child's upbringing. Since 6 April 2026 the leave is a right from your first day; the pay still needs 26 weeks' service. Hand it in and email it.

For a worker in England, Wales or Scotland who wants to book paid holiday: a dated written request giving the first and last day and the number of working days, asking for written approval. Unless your contract or holiday rules say otherwise, the Working Time Regulations 1998 ask for notice of twice the length of the leave, and let the employer refuse only by counter-notice as long as the leave. Acas explains the rules free. Send it by email or hand it in, keeping a copy.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who has been dismissed, warned or demoted after a disciplinary process: a letter appealing within your employer's time limit, setting out your grounds and what you ask for, and requesting an appeal hearing before a manager not involved in the decision, with a companion, as the Acas Code expects. If you have been dismissed, it asks for the reasons in writing. Hand it in and email it.

For a worker in England, Wales or Scotland whose employer, or former employer, has not given them their papers: one letter asking for any of missing payslips (section 8 of the Employment Rights Act 1996), a P60 for a tax year, the P45 after leaving, and the written statement of employment particulars (section 1). Fill in only the lines you need; the others drop out. It gives 14 days and names the next steps: a tribunal reference, and telling HMRC. Sent first class and by email.

For a worker in England, Wales or Scotland with a problem at work that talking has not solved — treatment by a manager or colleague, workload, pay, bullying, a change imposed without agreement: a formal written grievance under the Acas Code of Practice, saying what happened and what you want, asking for a meeting without unreasonable delay and to bring a colleague or union representative. Acas's Code and guidance are free. Hand it in and email it.

For an employer and an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who agree that the employee will work partly or wholly from home: a signed variation of the contract setting out the pattern of days, the start date, equipment, any contribution to costs, workstation safety, data security, an optional trial period and how the arrangement can be reviewed or ended. Everything else in the contract stays the same. Signed by both; each keeps a copy.

For an employer and an employee in England, Wales or Scotland: an agreement that the employee keeps the employer's confidential information secret during and after the employment, keeps it secure and returns it on leaving. It states plainly what it cannot stop — whistleblowing, reporting a crime, the disclosures a victim of crime may make, speaking about harassment, discrimination or pay — and contains no non-compete or other restriction after the job ends. Signed by both.

For a worker in England, Wales or Scotland with a disability or long-term health condition who needs changes at work — equipment, hours, duties, the workplace, how meetings are run: a letter asking the employer to make reasonable adjustments under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010, describing the difficulty at work (not a diagnosis) and the changes asked for, and offering a meeting or an occupational health referral. Access to Work, a free government scheme, can also help. Hand it in and email it. Sold blank, to complete by hand, as it holds health data DocMuse does not collect.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who wants to change their hours, days or place of work — part-time, compressed hours, home or hybrid working: a dated, written statutory request under section 80F of the Employment Rights Act 1996, giving your present pattern, the change and when it should start, and saying whether you made another request in the last 12 months. It is a right from your first day, and the employer must decide within two months. Hand it in and email it.

For a worker in England, Wales or Scotland whose employer, or former employer, has not paid wages, final pay, overtime or holiday pay that is due: a letter before claim setting out what is owed and how it is worked out, the total, the unlawful-deductions rule in section 13 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, and 14 days to pay, naming the next steps — Acas early conciliation, which is free and online, then an employment tribunal claim. Sent first class and by email.

For an employer in England, Wales or Scotland taking someone on for a set period — maternity cover, a season, a project: a contract with an end date that is also the written statement of particulars the law requires on or before the first day. It includes the protection of the Fixed-term Employees Regulations 2002, the four-year rule for successive contracts and early termination by notice. Each party should take advice before signing. Signed by both; each keeps a copy.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who needs time off beyond their holiday — a long trip, a family matter, study — and wants their employer's agreement: a letter asking for unpaid leave between two dates, with the return date, and asking the employer to confirm in writing your return to the same job and what happens to holiday, pension and benefits. There is no general right to unpaid leave; carer's leave, parental leave and time off for dependants are separate statutory rights. Hand it in and email it.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland whose statutory request for flexible working has been turned down: a letter appealing against the decision, giving your grounds — a reason outside the eight the law allows, wrong facts, no real consultation — and any alternative you would accept, asking for an appeal meeting with a companion. The whole decision, appeal included, must be made within two months of the request unless you agree longer. Hand it in and email it.