Verbal Employment Contracts, sometimes referred to as oral employment contracts, are ironically thought to only be as enforceable as the paper they are written on. Without written evidence, it is hard to hold either party to said contract.
In the IT world, especially the IT independent contractor world, the odds are stacked against IT consultants, in regard to larger clients. If you enter into a contract without proof or evidence of what you have entered into, it becomes a he said/she said issue. As a general practice, it is just safer from a personal standpoint to protect one’s self. Why take the chance of being burned when you are working on a contract to contract basis? Verbal contracts are a risk to both parties as well. For my business, I prefer to spell everything out so all parties are on the same page. Verbal Contracts are easy to forget and often become confusing.
From a “best practices” standpoint, the added expense of a written contract often times pays for itself in practical application and peace of mind.
