How Much Time Should an Employer Provide an Employee to Review a Medical Employment Contract?

Many doctors, optometrists, dentists, and other medical professionals work under a medical employment agreement. A medical employment agreement is simply a contract that governs the relationship between the employer (health care provider) and the employee (medical professional). All employment contracts should be carefully reviewed by both parties before they are signed. 

This raises an important question: How much time should a health care provider give a medical professional to review an employment contract? The short answer is that there is no one specific amount of time—a sensible period of review should be provided given the needs of the parties. In this article, our medical employment contract review attorney provides a more detailed explanation.  

No Mandatory Rule for Review of Medical Employment Contracts 

As a starting point, it is important to clarify that there is no overriding federal law (or any state law) that guarantees a medical professional any specific period of time to review a medical contract. In effect, this means that an employer (health care provider) can technically provide a prospective employee with as little time to review a contract as they choose. 

Of course, that certainly does not mean that a health care employer should “rush” a doctor or other medical professional through their contract review period. Doing so would significantly increase the odds of workplace problems—as well as potential legal conflicts—between the employer and the employee in the future. 

Health Care Employers Should Provide a Sensible Period of Time for Review 

The general rule for medical employment contracts is as follows: A sensible period of time for review should be provided given the needs of both parties. The reason for this is simple: medical employment contracts are highly complex. They generally involve many unique, specialized terms. It is imperative that the parties have the time to understand their rights and responsibilities under the agreement. 

As an example, a medical employment contract for a physician often has provisions for tail insurance. According to the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI), tail insurance is a type of insurance that covers claims that may arise after a medical professional leaves their position, but before the statute of limitations expires. There should be no confusion over how tail insurance will work. 

Ultimately, the amount of time that should be provided to a prospective employee for the review of a medical contract depends on a number of different factors. It is not uncommon for employers to provide two to four weeks to review the agreement, usually with an understanding that ongoing updates will be provided if any issue arises. 

Call Our Medical Employment Agreement Review Lawyer Today 

At Chelle Law, our medical contract review attorneys have the legal skills and professional experience that you need in your corner. If you have any specific questions about the proper amount of review time for a medical employment agreement, we are more than happy to help. Contact us today to set up your confidential, no obligation initial consultation. We provide medical contract review services nationwide.