An employment contract is not paperwork to sign on the way to the airport. It is the document that defines your wages, your hours, your accommodation and what happens if something goes wrong. Workers who read it carefully before travel avoid most of the problems that ruin a placement. This checklist sets out what to look for, line by line.
1. Who exactly is your employer
The first thing to establish is who you will actually work for.
- The employer's full registered name and, where stated, company details
- Whether the company hiring you is the same one you will work for — sometimes a group hires centrally and places you at a site
- The work location — city and site, not just "Romania"
- Who signs on the employer's behalf — a named person, not a generic stamp
If the contract names one entity and your discussions involved another, ask for the relationship in writing before you sign.
2. The job itself
The role should be described in enough detail that you recognise what you are agreeing to.
- Job title, and whether it involves multiple duties
- Whether the role is seasonal or open-ended, and if seasonal, the expected period
- The workplace — a fixed site, or several sites you may be moved between
- Whether you may be reassigned to different duties, and under what conditions
A vague role description is a warning sign. It usually means the employer wants flexibility at your expense.
3. Pay — the most important section
Read this part twice and write down the numbers.
- Gross and net wage, and the currency
- How often you are paid — monthly is usual
- How overtime is calculated, including the premium rate
- Additions for night work, weekends, public holidays or difficult conditions
- Any deductions, itemised. They should be specific, not a catch-all
- When the first payment will be made
Two things to check carefully: whether the figure quoted to you in conversation matches the contract, and whether deductions could reduce your net pay below what you were told to expect.
4. Hours and rest
- Contracted weekly hours and how they are scheduled
- Shift patterns, including whether nights and rotating shifts are involved
- Rest days per week, and which day
- Annual leave entitlement and how it is requested
- Break periods during the working day
5. Accommodation and transport
This is where the biggest surprises occur, because it is often agreed verbally and omitted from the contract.
- Is accommodation provided, arranged, or your own responsibility?
- If provided, is any cost deducted from your wage, and how much?
- How many people share a room, and what facilities are included
- Is transport to the workplace provided, and at what cost, if any
- Are meals provided?
- What happens to accommodation if the placement ends early?
Push to have these written into the contract or a signed annex. A promise made only in conversation is difficult to rely on later.
6. Duration and termination
- Start date and expected end date
- Probation period, if any, and what it means for notice
- Notice period required from you and from the employer
- What happens if the employer ends the contract early — for example, whether return travel is covered
- Whether the contract renews, and on what terms
7. Before you sign
Work through this list:
- ✅ Every figure matches what you were told in conversation
- ✅ Accommodation and transport terms are written down, not just promised
- ✅ Deductions are itemised and understandable
- ✅ The employer's name is consistent everywhere in the document
- ✅ You have a copy in a language you understand, or a clear translation
- ✅ You know who to contact if something goes wrong
- ✅ Nothing was signed under pressure to meet a travel date
Never sign a blank or partially completed contract. If a page is missing or a figure is to be "filled in later", ask for a complete document first.
8. What to do if something looks wrong
- Ask for clarification in writing, and keep the reply
- Compare the contract against what you were told at every stage
- Do not rely on verbal assurances that contradict the document
- Keep a copy of the signed contract with you when you travel, plus a digital copy
- Where a placement is arranged through an agency, ask the agency to confirm in writing that the contract terms match what was described to you
9. If you are an employer or agency
- Provide the contract before travel, not on arrival. It sets expectations correctly and reduces disputes.
- Make accommodation and deduction terms explicit. Ambiguity here causes the majority of early departures.
- Explain the contract to workers in their own language. It costs little and prevents most misunderstandings.
- Keep terms consistent with what was advertised. A mismatch is the fastest way to lose a good worker.
Summary
Your contract is the record of what was agreed. Read the employer name, the pay and deduction terms, the hours, and the accommodation arrangements before you travel — and make sure anything promised verbally appears in writing. A placement that begins with a clear, complete contract rarely runs into the disputes that dominate the ones that begin without one.
Travelling on a properly documented placement
Green Outdoors Global Pvt Ltd is an MEA-licensed overseas recruitment agency with a Romania-side presence. We work with verified employers and ensure workers understand their terms — including pay, hours and accommodation — before they travel.
📞 Call us: +91 77789 78988 🌐 Website: www.greenoutdoors.in ✉️ Email: [email protected]