In many cases employment is considered at-will, which means an employee can quit at any time. However, an employment contract may make it harder for an employee to leave or might provide protection to an employer if a worker decides to move on. Some common terms of an employment contract include a non-compete agreement and a nondisclosure agreement.
Employment contracts may be the better option when an employer has trained an employee for a long period or he or she has inside knowledge of the company. It also ensures that an important employee will be part of the company in the long term. Some contracts include language that requires the employee to stay until a replacement is named. Furthermore, the document might state they must train that replacement.