Digital employment contract software
Create, send and e-sign employment contracts online. Fair Work-compliant templates, secure cloud storage, and legally valid e-signatures for Australian businesses.
-
Simplify hiring and onboarding
-
Free employment contract templates that support Fair Work requirements
-
Send, accept, store and alter agreements digitally
Digital contracts made simple
Replace manual paperwork with online contract management. Employees review and e-sign agreements on any device without printing or scanning.
Employment contracts in Australia
- Australia has no general requirement for an employment contract to be in writing — but several things, including a written guarantee of annual earnings or an individual flexibility arrangement, do have to be documented.
- Electronic signatures are generally valid under the Electronic Transactions Act 1999 and its state equivalents, provided the signing method identifies the person and shows their intention to be bound.
- A contract cannot provide less than the modern award or the National Employment Standards. Where it tries to, the award or the NES applies regardless of what was signed.
- Employee records must be kept for seven years, be legible and in English, and must not be altered except to correct an error — which is a record-keeping problem, not a filing one.
- RosterElf creates, sends, e-signs and stores contracts against the employee record, so the signed version and the audit trail stay together.
Create contract
Use our templates designed for Fair Work requirements or upload your own contracts to create digital agreements.
Send for signing
Send contracts to employees for electronic signature. They can review and sign on any device.
Store securely
All signed contracts are stored in an encrypted cloud vault, accessible via employee profiles anytime.
Online employment contract software
Pre-made templates or build your own
Start with our ready-made Fair Work-compliant templates for full-time, part-time, and casual employees — or upload your existing contracts and convert them into reusable digital templates. Part of RosterElf's complete HR software suite.
Edit any template to match your business needs, add custom clauses, and save time by reusing contracts across multiple hires. No more drafting from scratch for every new employee.
Employment contract templates
Choose from fair Work-compliant templates
Covering full-time, part-time, and casual staff, every document reflects the latest Australian employment legislation and award requirements. Our templates include all essential employment contract clauses required under Fair Work.
Quickly customise employee names, company details, and pay rates and prepare for sending.
Upload and reuse contracts
Import and reuse existing employment contracts
Already using your own contracts? Upload them directly into RosterElf and convert them into reusable digital templates. Edit, resend, and version them all within one secure, centralised platform.
Whether managing one site or hundreds of employees, RosterElf makes it easy to modernise your HR processes and scale with confidence.
Electronic signature compliance
Certificate of completion for every contract
Every signed employment contract in RosterElf is backed by a Certificate of Completion, providing full proof of authenticity under the Electronic Transactions Act 1999 (Cth). Each signature is digitally time-stamped, verified via email authentication, and linked to the signer's IP address and device details for total transparency.
This automated eSignature audit trail protects your business by recording when, where, and how each document was signed.
Benefits of digital employment contracts
Legally valid e-signatures
Electronic signatures are legally valid under Australian law, with full audit trails and certificates of completion.
Fair work ready
Templates are designed to meet Australian employment legislation and award requirements.
Secure cloud storage
All contracts are encrypted and stored securely. Access them anytime from employee profiles.
Upload existing contracts
Import your current contracts and convert them into reusable digital templates.
Connected HR workflow
Contract data flows into onboarding, rostering and payroll — no duplicate data entry.
Automated reminders
Send automatic reminders for pending signatures so contracts don't get forgotten.
Contract data flows into rostering and payroll
Award levels and classifications from contracts automatically sync with RosterElf's rostering and payroll features — reducing disputes and ensuring consistency.
What is digital employment contract software?
Digital employment contract software allows businesses to create, send, sign and store employment contracts entirely online. Instead of printing, signing and scanning paper documents, employees can review and electronically sign contracts on any device. Electronic signatures are legally valid under Australian law, with full audit trails including timestamps and IP addresses. All contracts are stored securely in the cloud and integrated with your HR, rostering and payroll systems.
When onboarding a new hire, digital contracts work alongside licence and certification management to give you a complete compliance picture from day one. See our guide on how to onboard a new employee for the full process. Not sure what the role should cover first? See how to write a job description.
Learn more about the legal framework in our guides: are electronic signatures legally valid in Australia? and Fair Work employment contract requirements.
What an employment contract can and cannot do in Australia
A signed contract is not the top of the hierarchy. The award and the National Employment Standards sit above it, and a clause that falls short of either has no effect. Software that stores contracts without understanding that is a filing cabinet.
The award still applies
A contract cannot pay below the modern award or the NES. Where it does, the higher instrument wins regardless of what was agreed.
Electronic signatures
Valid under the Electronic Transactions Act and state equivalents where the method identifies the signatory and shows intent to be bound.
Seven-year records
Employee and pay records must be kept for seven years, legible, in English, and unaltered except to correct an error.
Employment type matters
Full-time, part-time and casual carry different entitlements. The contract should state which, and match how the person actually works.
What an Australian employment contract should set out
There is no single prescribed form. But a contract that leaves these out tends to be the one argued about later, because nothing else records what was agreed.
The basics of the engagement
Position title, start date, employment type, and the award or agreement that covers the role along with the classification level the pay rate is drawn from.
Hours and pay
Ordinary hours and, for part-time staff, the agreed pattern most awards require in writing. The rate of pay, how it is calculated, and the pay cycle.
Leave and entitlements
A reference to the NES entitlements rather than a restatement of them, so the contract does not go stale when the standard changes. See our leave management software.
Ending the employment
Notice periods consistent with the NES minimums, any probation arrangements, and what happens to accrued entitlements on termination.
Restating an entitlement in the contract is the common trap: when the award rate or the standard moves, the contract is now wrong in writing. Referring to the instrument instead keeps the document accurate without reissuing it.
Employment Hero vs RosterElf, capability by capability
Assessed on 43 capabilities across 7 areas. RosterElf is a rostering-first Australian product; Employment Hero is included here because the two are frequently shortlisted together.
| Capability area | RosterElf | Employment Hero |
|---|---|---|
| Rostering & scheduling | 8/8 | 7/8 |
| Time & attendance | 7/7 | 5/7 |
| Payroll & award interpretation | 7/7 | 7/7 |
| Team communication | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Mobile apps | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| HR & compliance | 6/6 | 5/6 |
| Reporting & analytics | 5/5 | 5/5 |
In RosterElf, not Employment Hero
- Unfilled shift alerts— Rostering & scheduling
- Device restrictions— Time & attendance
- Unscheduled shift detection— Time & attendance
- Read receipts— Team communication
- No payroll lock-in— HR & compliance
In Employment Hero, not RosterElf
- Offline clock-in— Mobile apps
Assessments are maintained in a shared data layer and applied identically across every review and comparison on this site. Feature sets change — check each vendor's own documentation before deciding.
Get the paperwork right the first time
Free templates and step-by-step guides for hiring, documenting and ending employment in Australia.
What Australian businesses say after switching
“Payroll for me takes about 50% less time right now.”
“We're probably paying half of what we were paying.”
“Our managers wrapped their head around it in about 45 minutes.”
Related support articles
Step-by-step guides to help you get started
Manage and edit employment contracts in HR Hub
Create a contract, merge employee details and send it for signature.
HR Hub View guideEdit contracts and policies in HR Hub
Update a template without breaking the versions already signed.
HR Hub View guideTrack and maintain staff contracts
See who has signed, who has not, and what is stored against each employee.
HR Hub View guideFind a policy acknowledgement date
Retrieve exactly when an employee acknowledged a policy, for an audit.
HR Hub View guideThis page describes Australian employment contract and record-keeping requirements in general terms to help you choose and configure HR software. It is not legal advice. Whether a contract term is enforceable depends on the modern award, enterprise agreement and legislation that apply to your employees, and on the circumstances. The validity of an electronic signature depends on how it was obtained. Seek advice before relying on anything here. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Explore related features
Discover other RosterElf features that work great together
How-to guides for digital contracts
Step-by-step guides to help you master these workflows
Start your free 15-day RosterElf trial today
Join 30,000+ workplaces using RosterElf to manage employment contracts digitally.
Employment contract guides for Australian businesses
Learn more about digital contracts, e-signatures, and HR compliance.
Are electronic signatures legally valid in Australia?
Electronic signatures are legally recognised in Australia. Learn when they are valid, what exceptions apply, and how to make your digital signatures compliant.
Read article
Fair Work employment contract requirements
What must employment contracts include under Fair Work? Covers mandatory inclusions, NES obligations, Modern Award interactions, and common mistakes.
Read article
Essential employment contract clauses for Australian employers
Cover Fair Work requirements, protect your business, and avoid costly disputes with the right contract clauses.
Read articleFrequently asked questions
- Yes, electronic signatures on employment contracts are legally valid under the Electronic Transactions Act 1999 (Cth). RosterElf provides a Certificate of Completion for every signed contract, including timestamp, IP address, and email authentication for full legal protection.
- Under the Electronic Transactions Act 1999 (Cth), a digital contract is legally valid when it adequately identifies the signatory, records their intention to be bound, and securely captures the agreement. RosterElf's Certificate of Completion satisfies all three requirements — it records timestamp, IP address, and email authentication for every signed contract.
- Absolutely. You can upload your existing employment contracts and convert them into reusable digital templates within RosterElf. This allows you to maintain your preferred contract wording while gaining the benefits of digital signing and storage.
- RosterElf includes Fair Work-compliant templates for full-time, part-time, and casual employment. Each template reflects current Australian employment legislation and award requirements. You can quickly customise names, company details, and pay rates. For further guidance, Fair Work Australia provides authoritative information on employment contract requirements.
- Employees receive an email notification with a link to review the contract. They can read it on any device (phone, tablet, or computer) and e-sign it online. No printing, scanning, or physical paperwork required.
- Once signed, the contract is automatically stored in an encrypted cloud vault and linked to the employee's profile. Employee details like role, pay rate, and start date sync instantly with rostering and payroll systems.