California Employment Offer Letter + Employee Confidentiality Agreement Template
For a private employer hiring an employee for an indefinite term who wants a compliant offer letter and the confidentiality, invention-assignment and non-solicitation agreement that protects the business. This edition of the form is completed for California: the governing statute, filing office and document names below are already typed in, and the clauses California law treats differently from the state-neutral version have been adjusted.
Buy and download
What the California edition already fills in
Governing law line on the cover: California — the Fair Labor Standards Act, state wage-and-hour and employment law, and the Defend Trade Secrets Act.
| Item | California |
|---|---|
| Non-compete covenants | Void — Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 16600–16607. Void, however narrow, for employees and for members of an LLC, except on the sale of a business or an ownership interest or on dissolution (§§ 16601–16602.5). Employers must not include or enforce them (§ 16600.5) and had to notify affected employees by February 14, 2024. |
| Employee invention statute | Cal. Labor Code §§ 2870–2872 |
| Written pay notice at hire | Cal. Labor Code § 2810.5 (Wage Theft Prevention Act notice at hire) |
| Trade secrets statute | California Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Cal. Civ. Code § 3426 et seq. |
What is inside
- Offer Letter: Key Terms table (position, schedule, classification, pay, benefits, probationary/introductory period, conditions) + 11 paragraphs the employee signs to accept
- Employee Confidentiality, Invention Assignment and Non-Solicitation Agreement: 5 articles with the permitted-disclosure and whistleblower notices, invention carve-out and Schedule A
- Instruction Sheet: the law behind each choice (probation or at-will, exempt vs non-exempt, required benefits, pay frequency, why there is no non-compete), day-one checklist, when the form is not enough
How it works
- Buy and download the zip (Word .docx files).
- Open the Instruction Sheet; it explains every field in plain language.
- Open the California edition and replace each yellow [BRACKETED FIELD].
- Delete the cover page, print or sign electronically, keep the signed original with your records.
Questions
Is this employment offer letter + employee confidentiality agreement valid in California?
Yes. The California edition is the state-neutral form with the California statute, filing office and document names typed in, and the clauses California treats differently adjusted. It is a template you complete yourself; have an attorney licensed in California review it if your situation is unusual.
What file do I get?
A zip with the California edition and all other 50 state editions, each as Word (.docx) files in English and Spanish, plus the Instruction Sheet. Open in Microsoft Word, Google Docs or LibreOffice.
How do I complete it?
Open the Instruction Sheet first. Replace each yellow [BRACKETED FIELD] with your information, delete the options you do not use, delete the cover page, then print or e-sign.
Do I need a notary or a lawyer?
The Instruction Sheet says when a signature needs a notary and lists the situations where the form is not enough and an attorney should review it.
Other California templates
- California Single-Member LLC Operating Agreement
- California Multi-Member LLC Operating Agreement
- California LLC Resolutions and Written Consents Pack
- California LLC Membership Interest Purchase Agreement (Member Buyout)
- California LLC Dissolution and Winding-Up Kit
- California Corporate Bylaws and Organizational Consents
- California Corporate Resolutions and Secretary's Certificates Pack
- California Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
- California Independent Contractor Agreement
- California Services Agreement (Provider-Side)
- California Promissory Note with Optional Guaranty
- California Commercial Lease Agreement
Employment Offer Letter + Employee Confidentiality Agreement in other states
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