Support for BVA campaign for written contracts of employment

We are backing a British Veterinary Association (BVA) campaign to improve the number of recent veterinary graduates who have proper written contracts of employment.

In a survey of its young graduate members, the BVA’s Young Vet Network (YVN) found that only 76% had a contract of employment and that over 40% of recent graduates had been in a job for over six months without a written contract in place.

The BVA has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of written contracts of employment, which set out employment rights, responsibilities and duties, with the support of the RCVS, the Veterinary Practice Management Association (VPMA) and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS).

An information leaflet is at the centre of the campaign, giving an outline of what a contract of employment should contain, when to expect one, how not having one can leave both employer and employee exposed, and offering advice to new graduates who find themselves without a contract.

The leaflet will be sent to all veterinary practices in the UK, all BVA members and final-year veterinary students.

Employers have a duty to provide a written statement of their main employment terms within two months of starting work. The campaign coincides with the re-drafting of the contracts of employment template which BVA members can download from the BVA website. BVA members can also call the free legal advice line.

Jill Nute, RCVS President and Chairman of the Practice Standards Scheme, commented: “Having proper contracts in place is for the benefit of both employee and employer and is certainly something we would support. It’s a general legal requirement and something that is checked as part of Practice Standards Scheme inspections, at all levels."

"We would urge all new and recent graduates to ask about contracts at the earliest opportunity and to consult the BVA’s Young Vet Network for advice on what should be included.”

For more information, and to download a copy of the leaflet, visit www.bva.co.uk/contracts