If you are considering signing an employment agreement or a modification to one, it is smart to have it reviewed before you sign. The New York City employment agreement attorneys at Risman & Risman, P.C. review and negotiate employment contracts, explain your rights and risks, and help you secure fair terms.

Employment agreements can affect your pay, mobility, and future options. Oral promises about compensation or benefits are usually not enforceable unless they appear in the written contract. We identify hidden risks, correct one-sided terms, and negotiate improvements so your contract matches what you were promised.

Your agreement must comply with New York and federal law and align with company policy. We review and negotiate:

• Offer letters and at-will disclaimers
• Compensation structures, bonus and commission plans
• Non-compete and non-solicitation provisions
• Confidentiality and invention-assignment clauses
• Arbitration and class/collective action waivers
• Independent-contractor (freelance) agreements
• Ownership/partnership and executive compensation agreements

Many agreements also include non-compete or non-solicitation clauses, arbitration and class-action waivers, commission plan terms, and choice-of-law provisions. We identify hidden risks, correct one-sided terms, and negotiate improvements so your contract matches what you were promised.

New York requires written commission agreements for commissioned salespeople, with specific terms and monthly pay frequency. Non-compete and non-solicitation provisions remain subject to a reasonableness test under New York law as of September 2025.

Note: New York requires special handling for some provisions, such as arbitration of sexual harassment or sexual assault claims, which employees may bring to court despite an arbitration clause. Independent-contractor (freelance) agreements must be in writing at certain dollar thresholds under New York’s statewide Freelance Isn’t Free Act (effective 2024).