Arkansas software developer employment contract template

Arkansas Software Developer Employment Contract

This Arkansas Software Developer Employment Contract ("Agreement") is made and entered into as of [Effective Date], by and between [Employer Name], a [State] [Entity Type] with its principal place of business at [Employer Address] ("Employer"), and [Employee Name], residing at [Employee Address] ("Employee").

1. Employment

The Employer hereby employs the Employee, and the Employee hereby accepts employment with the Employer, as a full-time Software Developer in Arkansas.

Option A: The Employee will report to [Manager Name], [Manager Title].

Option B: The Employee will report to the [Department Name] Department.

2. Role and Responsibilities

The Employee's primary role is Software Developer.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Software design and architecture.
• Code development and implementation in [Programming Languages] using [Frameworks] within [Development Environments].
• Debugging and optimization of software.
• Documentation of code and systems.
• Database management and integration.
• Integration of third-party tools and APIs.
• Use of version control systems (e.g., Git).
• Participation in test-driven development.
• Participation in Agile/Scrum or other recognized development methodologies.
• Collaboration in code reviews.
• Contribution to team-based problem solving.
• Communication with project managers and stakeholders.
• Support and maintenance of existing systems.
• Compliance with Employer’s information security and data privacy protocols.
• Adaptation to new technologies and ongoing technical training.

3. Work Location and Remote Work

The Employee's primary work location is the Employer's Arkansas office located at [Employer Address].

Option A: This position is fully on-site.

Option B: This position is eligible for remote work subject to Employer's remote work policy.

• The Employee is expected to maintain a secure home office environment.
• The Employee will be provided with the following hardware/software: [List of Hardware/Software].
• The Employee is responsible for adhering to the Employer's secure data handling rules.
• The Employee is required to attend on-site meetings/training [Frequency of On-site Attendance].

4. Employment Status and Work Schedule

The Employee is employed as a full-time employee, working at least 30 hours per week.

Option A: The Employee's regular work schedule is [Start Time] to [End Time], Monday through Friday.

Option B: The Employee's work schedule may vary based on project needs, with reasonable notice provided.

The Employer’s policy on breaks is: [Employer Break Policy, stating that Arkansas does not mandate meal/rest breaks].

Option A: Probationary Period: The Employee's initial employment period is a [Number] day probationary period. Evaluation metrics for the probationary period are: [Evaluation Metrics].

Option B: There is no probationary period.

5. Compensation

The Employee's annual salary is [Salary Amount], payable [Pay Cycle: Weekly, Bi-weekly, Monthly].

Option A: Payment will be made via direct deposit.

Option B: Payment will be made via paper check.

The Employee is eligible for overtime pay at a rate of 1.5 times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek, in accordance with Arkansas and federal law.

Option A: The Employee is eligible for a bonus based on [Bonus Criteria], payable [Bonus Payment Timeline]. The bonus amount is [Bonus Amount/Formula].

Option B: The Employee is not eligible for a bonus.

Option C: The Employee is eligible for stock options, as outlined in the separate stock option agreement.

6. Benefits

The Employee is eligible for the following benefits, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plan documents:

• Health insurance: [Health Insurance Details, including cost-sharing and providers].
• Dental insurance: [Dental Insurance Details, including cost-sharing and providers].
• Vision insurance: [Vision Insurance Details, including cost-sharing and providers].
• Paid time off (vacation, sick leave, personal time): [PTO Details: Accrual rates, maximums, etc.].
• State and Federal holidays: [List of Observed Holidays].
• Family and medical leave: Per FMLA requirements.
• 401(k) or retirement plan: [401(k) Details, including matching contributions].
• Option A: Remote work stipend/reimbursement: [Stipend/Reimbursement Details].
• Option B: Professional development/certification support: [Details on support offered].
• Option C: Employer-sponsored technical conference attendance: [Details on conference attendance benefits].

7. Intellectual Property

All software, code, inventions, documentation, or other deliverables developed by the Employee during the course of their employment are the sole property of the Employer, consistent with Arkansas IP assignment principles.

The Employee must obtain written consent from the Employer before contributing to any external or open-source projects.

The Employee must fully disclose any third-party code dependencies used in their work.

8. Confidentiality

The Employee agrees to hold all confidential information, including code, business process information, client or vendor data, customer lists, algorithms, result sets, and all proprietary information, in strict confidence, both during and after employment.

Upon termination of employment, the Employee must return or securely erase all Employer data.

This confidentiality obligation extends [Number] years after termination of employment.

9. Employment at Will

This is an at-will employment relationship, as governed by Arkansas law. Either party may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice.

Option A: Employer requires [Number] days written notice of resignation.

Option B: Employer does not require a specific notice period.

Upon termination, the Employee will receive their final wages on the next regular payday, as required by Arkansas law.

Upon termination, the Employee must return all company equipment and have all employer accounts deactivated.

10. Non-Compete, Non-Solicitation, and Non-Disparagement

Option A: Non-Compete: During employment and for [Number] months following termination, the Employee will not engage in any business that directly competes with the Employer's business within [Geographic Scope], specifically related to [Specific Software/Code/Trade Secrets]. This restriction is reasonable in geographic scope and time and is directly tied to the protection of the Employer's legitimate business interests in software, code, or trade secrets under Arkansas law.

Option B: No Non-Compete.

Non-Solicitation: During employment and for [Number] months following termination, the Employee will not solicit the Employer's employees or customers.

Non-Disparagement: The Employee agrees not to disparage the Employer, its products, or its employees at any time.

11. IT Security Compliance

The Employee agrees to comply with the Employer's IT security policies, cybersecurity training, and acceptable use of company systems.

The Employee is prohibited from using unauthorized software or moving code/data outside employer-approved repositories.

The Employee must maintain strong passwords and participate in regular security audits.

12. Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment

The Employer is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under federal and Arkansas law.

The Employee should report any instances of workplace misconduct to [Designated Person/Department] following the procedure outlined in the Employee Handbook.

13. Conflict of Interest

The Employee must disclose any potential conflicts of interest to the Employer.

Outside work (e.g., freelance software projects) requires prior written approval from the Employer to avoid IP and business conflicts.

14. Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising under this Agreement shall first be subject to good-faith negotiation.

Option A: If negotiation fails, the parties agree to attempt mediation in Arkansas.

Option B: If negotiation fails, the parties agree to binding arbitration in Arkansas.

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Arkansas. The venue for any legal proceedings shall be in the state courts of Arkansas.

If any provision of this Agreement is held to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

15. Compliance with Laws

The Employer complies with Arkansas workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, and applicable occupational safety rules.

The Employer recommends an ergonomic workspace and breaks to reduce repetitive stress.

16. Pre-Existing Inventions

The Employee has disclosed the following pre-existing inventions or software owned/developed prior to employment: [List of Pre-Existing Inventions or State "None"].

17. Entire Agreement

This Agreement, together with any referenced policies, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relating to the employment of the Employee as a Software Developer in Arkansas and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous communications and proposals, whether oral or written.

No modification of this Agreement shall be valid unless in writing and signed by both parties. Waiver of any provision does not constitute a waiver of any future breach.

Signatures

Employer:

• ____________________________
• [Employer Representative Name]
• [Employer Representative Title]
• Date: [Date]

Employee:

• ____________________________
• [Employee Name]
• Date: [Date]

Acknowledgment

I acknowledge that I have received and reviewed the following company policies:

• Acceptable Use Policy: \[ ]
• Security Policy: \[ ]
• Data Retention Policy: \[ ]
• Anti-Harassment Policy: \[ ]
• Social Media Policy: \[ ]

Employee Signature: ____________________________

Date: [Date]