Employment agreements
Set out role and duties, compensation, benefits references, applicable policies, and separation terms in language that fits the position.
Example provision
When compensation is paid and how changes are communicated.
California workforce agreements
Employment, Contractor, Commission, and NDA Agreements
How you document a working relationship shapes how California may treat it later, regardless of the title on the agreement. We help California employers and businesses using independent professionals put the real arrangement into clear terms.
Labels are only a start.
Employment agreements
Contractor agreements
Commission terms
NDAs
Map the relationship first
Working arrangement → document
EmployeeRole, pay, workplace expectations
Independent professionalScope, deliverables, independence
Sales representative or vendorCommission, access, confidential information
The document should describe how the work is actually managed and paid.
Document scope
Workforce Agreement Coverage
Start with the work. The right document records what each side will do, how compensation works, and what happens when the relationship changes.
Independent contractor agreements
Define the project or service, deliverables, payment terms, responsibilities, and the practical boundaries of the engagement.
Example provision
Who controls the method, schedule, and tools for the work.
Commission agreements
Make the math understandable: eligible sales, splits, credits, adjustments, payment dates, and treatment of transactions at separation.
Example provision
What event makes a commission earned and payable.
Confidentiality and NDAs
Set rules for handling sensitive business information across employees, contractors, therapists, counselors, and vendors.
Example provision
What information is protected and what must be returned.
California-focused review
Contractor Classification Considerations
A contractor classification contract should reflect the day-to-day arrangement. California classification can turn on the facts, the type of work, and the rules that apply to that relationship.
Compare the written terms with the work
| Factor | What to examine | Agreement should record |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Who directs methods, priorities, and day-to-day decisions? | Defined outcomes and each party's responsibilities. |
| Schedule | Who sets the hours, location, and order of work? | Any required availability and who determines the work plan. |
| Integration | How closely does the work connect to the business's usual operations? | The specific service, project limits, and deliverables. |
| Consistency | Does the actual practice keep matching the signed terms? | How scope changes, approvals, and payment records are handled. |
Sales compensation
Commission and Sales Compensation Terms
Commission disputes often begin with one missing detail: the event that earns the payment. Write the trigger down.
01
Define the sale
Specify eligible transactions, account ownership, splits, and credits.
State which products, customers, territories, or revenue count, and how shared accounts are assigned.
02
Set the calculation
Show the rate, base amount, and any permitted adjustments.
Explain how discounts, refunds, credits, and split sales affect the commission calculation.
03
Name the earning trigger
Clarify the event that makes the commission earned.
Distinguish the sale, customer payment, delivery, or other agreed event, then state when payment follows.
04
Address separation
Cover earned amounts and open deals when work ends.
Set out how closed but uncollected deals, pending transactions, and final statements will be handled, subject to applicable law.
A practical drafting process
Preparing Workforce Documents
Consistency starts early. Begin with the job as it exists, then choose terms that the business can follow in practice.
Discuss Your DocumentsDescribe the working relationship
Set out who controls the work, how scheduling works, what equipment is used, and how the business and professional communicate.
Choose the document structure
Match the agreement to the relationship and the job. A recurring employee role, a defined consulting project, and a sales commission plan need different terms.
Write pay, scope, and confidentiality terms
Make duties, deliverables, compensation, information handling, and end-of-engagement steps specific enough to use.
Standardize how documents are used
Keep a consistent starting process for new hires and contractors, and update the forms when the actual work or pay terms change.
Straight answers
Workforce Agreement Questions
Details matter. These are common issues employers raise when reviewing workforce documents.
Does calling someone a contractor make them a contractor in California?
No. The contract title does not determine classification by itself. The working facts and applicable California rules matter, so review the agreement alongside how the person is directed, scheduled, and paid.
What should a confidentiality agreement cover for contractors?
Identify the business information covered, the permitted use, who may receive it, how it must be protected, and what happens to it when the engagement ends. The terms should fit the contractor's actual access and the work being performed.
How do we handle commission disputes after someone leaves?
Set out when commission is earned, when it is paid, how pending deals are treated, and what records support the final calculation. California requirements can affect commission plans, so the written terms should be reviewed for the specific arrangement.
Can one confidentiality agreement cover employees and vendors?
Sometimes a common structure works, but access, permitted use, return obligations, and the relationship's other terms may differ. Use language that fits each person's role rather than assuming one form covers every situation.
Clear terms for real working relationships
Make the Documentation Match the Reality
A careful review can help bring the agreement, compensation plan, and day-to-day arrangement into closer alignment.