Venezuela: Contracts of employment

Original and updating author: Juan Carlos Varela, Littler

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Summary

• Statute stipulates that the employment contract should "preferably" be in writing, but provides that an employment relationship can be proven to exist where the contract is oral. (See General)
• The first month of an open-ended employment relationship is in effect a probationary period. (See Probationary periods)
• The principal statutory distinction in terms of employment contracts is between open-ended contracts and contracts for a fixed term or to perform a specific task. (See Types of contract and specific rules for particular types of employee)
• Written employment contracts must contain certain minimum terms. (See Written statement of terms of employment)
• An employer cannot change any terms of employment to the employee's disadvantage without the written consent of the employee. (See Variation of contract)
• Statute provides for a number of situations in which the employment contract is considered to be suspended. (See Suspension of contract)