Section 3 Individual Employment Agreement

• Library: Emp-Emp Law 2000

An essential element of an employment contract is a statement of duration; without a statement of duration, at-will employment exists. Luethans v. Washington Univ., 894 S.W.2d 169 (Mo. banc 1995); Clark v. Washington Univ.,906 S.W.2d 789 (Mo. App. E.D. 1995); Herrero v. St. Louis Univ. Hosp., 929 F. Supp. 1260 (E.D. Mo. 1996). To create a valid employment contract, the potential employee must accept the employer’s offer and communicate the acceptance to the employer. Wiseman v. Junior College Dist. of St. Louis, 916 S.W.2d 267 (Mo. App. E.D. 1995). See also:

• Adcock v. Newtec, Inc., 939 S.W.2d 426, 428 (Mo. App. E.D. 1996) (valid durational clause created by contract calling for initial three-year employment relationship with series of one-year extensions thereafter)

• Paul v. Farmland Indus., Inc.,37 F.3d 1274 (8^th Cir. 1994) (employer’s letter offering job and explaining compensation package did not constitute a contract for a definite period)

• Sturgis Equip. Co., Inc. v. Falcon Indus. Sales Co., 930 S.W.2d 14 (Mo. App. E.D. 1996) (employer memorandum projecting compensation did not create employment contract)

• Fullington v. Ozark Poultry Supply Co., 39 S.W.2d 780...