No contract of employment - should I have one?

tracey357

Just a brief outline of my employment history -

Worked for the same company for 12yrs, Uk based - European head office, have never received a contract of employment.
Very small uk operation 4 staff in total, huge european.

My question is am I better off without or should I press my boss to sort this out, my hours are flexible but roughly 35 per week, 20day holiday per year:( + bank holidays.

Thanks in advance

SarEl

You do have a contract. That exists because you work there. The contract is actually a complex combination of documents and custom and practice. What you are missing is a written statement of the main particulars of the contract. Many people don't have one - although they should have one! It isn't a big deal if you don't have one, so the answer would be that it depends on how important it is to you that you have one. You can certainly ask for one and it should be provided. But the terms of your employment appear to be known by you, and I assume that you aren't in dispute over anything - in which case it isn't really here nor there. If it came to a dispute it might help to have the terms in writing, but a tribunal could deduce the terms if it ever came to that. So it's up to you.

tracey357

Thanks SarEl,

I thought that was the case, but someone put a few doubts in my head at the weekend, just wanted to check in case.
thanks again