Implementing an entire agreement clauses is a useful way to ensure that no verbally expressed promises are contested by an employee for being unfulfilled. An entire agreement clause can eliminate dispute over the terms of employment that were not explicitly stated within the written employment contract. The clause specifically should state that all promises and terms of employment are sufficiently expressed within the written contract. The clause must also express that the contract supersedes all discussions, negotiations and documents prior to the signing of the contract, and that all agreed terms of employment are represented within the contract being signed. This may avoid unnecessary legal costs if any future challenges of unfulfilled promises are made by the employee.
Employers must be careful not to take advantage of an entire agreement clause because the courts will not be favourable to negligent misrepresentations made to the employee, regardless of what the employment agreement states. Employers must also ensure individuals placed in positions that represent the company accurately represent the position being offered. If promises made were a necessary condition to having the employee accept the offer of employment, it is likely the promises are fundamental to the employment agreement. If found to be untrue, such a promise would be considered negligent misrepresentation. An example may be an employee being promised long term employment based on the availability of future projects, only to be terminated shortly after due to there being no such work available.
Overall, an entire agreement clause offers employers peace of mind in knowing that costly litigation will be less likely in the event an employee claims a promise has not been fulfilled. This does not absolve employers, however, of their duty to fairly represent the position offered prior to an employment agreement being signed. Courts will never act favourable to entire agreement clauses when it is found that the employer was negligent in the representation of the position offered. When drafting entire agreement clauses, it is necessary to have a legal professional draft such clauses properly and to be advised of which promises must be honoured to avoid claims of negligent misrepresentation.