Best examples of remote work employment agreement template examples for 2025

Practical examples of remote work employment agreement template examples

Let’s start where most people want to start: real examples. Below are several patterns you’ll see again and again in strong remote work contracts. Each example of a remote work employment agreement template can be mixed and matched depending on your industry, risk tolerance, and whether you hire within one state or across borders.

1. Hybrid schedule agreement template example

One of the most common examples of remote work employment agreement template examples is the hybrid schedule addendum. Instead of rewriting the entire employment agreement, employers attach a short, targeted document that:

• Confirms the employee’s primary work location (for tax and wage‑and‑hour purposes)
• Defines which days are remote and which are on‑site
• Sets core collaboration hours (for example, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time)
• Clarifies that the employer can modify the schedule with reasonable notice

A typical clause in this kind of template might read:

“Employee will perform their duties remotely from their residence in Austin, Texas on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and on‑site at the Company’s office on Tuesday and Thursday. The Company may adjust this schedule with at least 14 days’ prior written notice, subject to applicable law.”

This style of addendum works well for U.S. employers who want flexibility without rewriting legacy employment contracts. It also helps with compliance around state tax nexus and wage laws, since the primary work state is explicitly identified.

2. Fully remote U.S. employee agreement template example

Another of the best examples of remote work employment agreement template examples is a full agreement built for employees who never come into a physical office. This template usually bakes remote assumptions into every section:

• Job duties reference virtual collaboration tools instead of in‑person meetings.
• Hours and availability emphasize output and response times rather than strict 9–5 presence.
• Confidentiality and data security include specific references to remote access, VPN use, and secure Wi‑Fi.

A remote‑specific confidentiality clause might say:

“Employee agrees to access Company systems only through Company‑approved devices and networks, including use of multi‑factor authentication and encrypted connections, and to refrain from downloading Company Confidential Information to personal devices or unencrypted storage.”

This type of agreement template is now standard in distributed‑first companies and aligns with current cybersecurity guidance from organizations such as the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at cisa.gov.

3. International contractor remote work template example

Remote hiring across borders exploded between 2020 and 2024, and it is not slowing down. For non‑U.S. workers engaged as independent contractors, an example of a remote work employment agreement template usually focuses on:

• Clear contractor status (not an employee under U.S. law)
• Responsibility for local tax and social security contributions
• Data transfer and privacy clauses aligned with GDPR or similar regimes
• Intellectual property assignment across jurisdictions

A typical line you’ll see in these examples includes language like:

“Contractor is solely responsible for compliance with all tax, social security, and employment laws applicable in Contractor’s country of residence, and acknowledges that Contractor is not entitled to benefits provided to Company employees.”

Because misclassification risk is real, many organizations pair these templates with legal guidance and public resources from agencies such as the U.S. Department of Labor at dol.gov.

4. Remote work policy addendum for existing employees

Sometimes you don’t want a standalone remote contract at all. You want an addendum that bolts onto your existing employment agreement and handbook. This is one of the most practical examples of remote work employment agreement template examples for mid‑sized companies.

These addenda typically:

• Confirm that all other terms of the original employment agreement remain in force
• Add work‑from‑home expectations around workspace, safety, and ergonomics
• Address reimbursement for reasonable business expenses (internet, phone, equipment)
• Include a right to revoke remote privileges with notice

You might see language like:

“This Remote Work Addendum supplements, and does not replace, the Employment Agreement dated March 1, 2022. In the event of any conflict, this Addendum will control with respect to remote work arrangements only.”

This structure is popular because it is relatively low‑friction and easy for HR teams to roll out to dozens or hundreds of employees at once.

5. Security‑focused remote work agreement template example for regulated industries

In finance, healthcare, and other regulated sectors, the best examples of remote work employment agreement template examples go heavy on security, privacy, and compliance. These templates often incorporate or reference:

• HIPAA obligations for remote handling of protected health information (PHI) in healthcare
• FINRA or SEC guidance for remote brokerage and advisory work in financial services
• Mandatory training on phishing, social engineering, and secure document handling

A security‑focused clause might state:

“Employee will not print Company or client information at home unless expressly authorized, and will immediately secure or destroy any printed materials consistent with Company record retention and destruction policies.”

For health‑related roles, organizations often cross‑check their templates against guidance from sources like the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services at hhs.gov and research from institutions such as the National Institutes of Health at nih.gov.

6. Flexible hours / asynchronous remote work template example

Another real example of a remote work employment agreement template that has grown in popularity is the asynchronous work template. This is common in software, design, and other knowledge‑work fields with globally distributed teams.

Key features usually include:

• Emphasis on deliverables and deadlines instead of fixed hours
• Limited “overlap windows” for live meetings
• Expectations for response times in chat and email
• Clarification of overtime rules for non‑exempt employees

You might see something like:

“Employee may schedule their work hours at their discretion, provided that (a) Employee is available for at least two hours of overlap with the U.S. Eastern Time Zone between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and (b) all assigned deliverables are completed by the agreed deadlines.”

This style of template recognizes that remote work is not just about location; it is also about time flexibility.

7. Temporary remote work agreement example for emergencies

Not all remote work is permanent. Many organizations now keep a short, ready‑to‑deploy template for temporary remote work during emergencies—severe weather, public health events, or building issues.

These examples of remote work employment agreement template examples are usually short and time‑bound. They:

• Specify the start and end dates of the temporary arrangement
• Clarify that this does not create a permanent right to remote work
• Address safety expectations in the home workspace

A typical clause might say:

“This temporary remote work arrangement will begin on January 15, 2025 and is expected to continue through February 28, 2025, subject to extension or early termination at the Company’s discretion.”

Public‑sector employers often model these templates on federal guidance about telework, including resources from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management at opm.gov.

Key clauses to copy from the best examples of remote work employment agreement template examples

Once you’ve looked at a few real examples, patterns start to emerge. The strongest examples of remote work employment agreement template examples tend to repeat certain clauses, even across different industries and countries.

Remote work location and jurisdiction

Every good template clearly states where the employee is working from and which laws apply. This matters for payroll tax, workers’ compensation, and wage‑and‑hour rules.

You’ll often see language stating that:

• The employee’s primary work location is their home address in a specific city and state.
• The agreement is governed by the law of that state (or the state where the company is based).
• The employee must notify HR before relocating across state or national borders.

Without this, you risk surprise tax obligations or non‑compliance with local labor standards.

Hours, overtime, and time tracking

In remote setups, blurred boundaries are a real risk. The better examples of remote work employment agreement template examples provide:

• Clear expected weekly hours
• Rules for recording time (especially for non‑exempt workers under the Fair Labor Standards Act)
• Requirements for pre‑approval of overtime

This not only protects employees from burnout; it also helps employers avoid wage claims. The U.S. Department of Labor has general guidance on remote work and hours at dol.gov.

Equipment, expenses, and home office costs

Another recurring theme in real examples is who pays for what. Templates usually spell out:

• Which equipment the company provides (laptop, monitor, headset)
• Whether the employee receives a monthly stipend for internet or phone
• Whether the company will reimburse specific home office expenses

Some U.S. states require reimbursement of certain business expenses. Well‑drafted templates acknowledge this and say that the company will follow applicable law in the employee’s jurisdiction.

Data security, confidentiality, and acceptable use

Remote work magnifies cybersecurity risk. The best examples of remote work employment agreement template examples contain:

• A requirement to use company‑approved devices and software
• A ban on sharing work devices with family or friends
• Obligations to report suspected security incidents immediately

Many employers pair this language with mandatory security training, often drawing on public best practices from agencies like CISA and NIST.

Performance metrics and communication norms

Finally, effective templates explain how performance will be measured in a remote context. Common points include:

• Output‑based goals (projects completed, tickets resolved, clients served)
• Response‑time expectations for email, chat, and calls
• Required attendance at specific meetings (team stand‑ups, one‑on‑ones)

This section is where you translate your culture into writing. If your company values deep‑work time, that should show up here. If responsiveness is critical for customer support, that should be explicit too.

2024–2025 trends shaping remote work agreement templates

The language in these agreements is not static. Over the last two years, several trends have reshaped what goes into the best examples of remote work employment agreement template examples.

Greater focus on mental health and workload

Many employers now reference wellness, reasonable workloads, or access to mental‑health resources in their remote policies. This shift reflects growing awareness of burnout and isolation in fully remote roles. While legal obligations vary, some organizations align their internal policies with public health guidance from sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov.

Explicit cross‑border tax and immigration language

As more employees ask to work temporarily from other countries, templates increasingly address:

• Limits on working from countries where the employer has no legal presence
• Requirements to obtain written approval before working outside the home country
• The employee’s responsibility for any immigration or visa issues

Ignoring this can lead to permanent establishment risk or unexpected local employment obligations.

Stronger data protection and AI‑related clauses

With wider use of cloud tools and AI, modern examples include:

• Clear bans on uploading confidential company or client data into public AI tools without approval
• Requirements to follow company policies on AI‑generated content and data handling
• References to internal information security standards

This is fast‑moving territory, and many organizations are updating their templates annually to keep up.

How to adapt these examples of remote work employment agreement template examples to your organization

Looking at examples is only step one. The real value comes when you adapt a template to fit your reality—your locations, your risk profile, your technology stack, and your culture.

Practical steps include:

• Inventory your remote roles. List which jobs are fully remote, hybrid, or location‑bound. You may need more than one template.
• Map your jurisdictions. Note every state and country where employees live. Check wage‑and‑hour, expense reimbursement, and data privacy rules for each.
• Align with existing policies. Make sure your remote agreement cross‑references your employee handbook, IT policies, and code of conduct instead of silently contradicting them.
• Run a legal review. Even the best examples of remote work employment agreement template examples are just starting points. Have local counsel review for enforceability and compliance.

If you treat these examples as living documents, you can revise them as your remote strategy evolves rather than rewriting from scratch every time.

FAQ: examples of remote work employment agreement template examples

Q1. Where can I find a reliable example of a remote work employment agreement template?
Public agencies and universities often publish sample telework or remote work agreements. For instance, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management at opm.gov provides federal telework guidance that can inspire private‑sector templates, and some universities share sample telecommuting agreements on their HR pages.

Q2. What are common examples of clauses that must be in a remote work agreement?
Common examples include the employee’s designated work location, work hours and availability, data security and acceptable use rules, equipment and expense reimbursement terms, confidentiality and IP ownership, and a statement that the employer can modify or revoke remote work with appropriate notice and in line with local law.

Q3. Do I need different examples of remote work employment agreement template examples for contractors and employees?
Yes. Employees and independent contractors are treated very differently under labor and tax law. Employee templates reference benefits, wage‑and‑hour rules, and company policies. Contractor templates avoid language that suggests control over day‑to‑day work methods and instead focus on deliverables, timelines, and IP assignment. Mixing the two can increase misclassification risk.

Q4. Are boilerplate online templates enough, or should I customize them?
Generic templates are fine as a starting point, especially to see examples of structure and wording. But you should customize them to match your jurisdictions, industry, and risk profile, then have them reviewed by counsel. The best examples of remote work employment agreement template examples are those that reflect your actual practices, not just aspirational policies.

Q5. How often should we update our remote work agreement templates?
Many organizations now review these templates annually. Laws around remote work, data privacy, and cross‑border employment keep shifting, and your technology stack probably changes too. A yearly review cycle—alongside your handbook and IT policy updates—helps keep your agreements aligned with current practice and regulatory expectations.