What is an Employment Agreement Amendment?

An Employment Agreement Amendment is a contractJergoff ("Executive")."
modifying a currently existing and previously executedAfter carefully referring to the original agreement by
employment agreement. They are often drafted inname and date, the agreement should set forth any
response to a material change of circumstances inimportant recitals that led to the need for the
respect to the employer's business model, theamendment. For instance:
dynamics of the company's industry, or the individual"WHEREAS, the Employment Agreement provides
employee's contributions.that the Employee can earn a cash bonus if specified
Amendments, if properly drafted, can legally modifyfiscal year 2005 performance objectives are attained
any aspect of the original employment agreement,(the "2005 Bonus")."
including but not limited to provisions addressing the"WHEREAS, the Parties believe that Employee may
employee's compensation, term of employment, bonusbecome entitled to receive a 2005 Bonus based on
structure or method of bonus payout (cash vs. stock),projected fiscal year 2005 Company performance."
grounds for termination, or benefits package."WHEREAS, the Parties desire to amend the
Employment Agreement Amendments can containEmployment Agreement to provide that no 2005
several modifications and read quite lengthy, or canBonus will be paid to the Employee and that instead
include just one modification and be as short as oneEmployee shall receive an additional equity grant of
page.restricted stock units (the "RSU") and that the price
The amendment must first contain a short andconditions for the performance units (the "PUs") will be
accurate statement stating the date of themodified".
amendment and referring to the original employmentIt is also advisable to include a final "whereas" clause
agreement by name and date. For instance:stating that the parties desire that all other terms of
"This First Amendment to the Employment Agreementthe Employment Agreement remain unchanged
between First Generation Marketing, a Delawareexcept as expressly provided herein.
corporation (the "Company"), and Marty McFly (theAfter including the appropriate recitals, the provisions of
"Employee") that was originally effective as of May 31,the amendment should now be drafted carefully to
2005 (the "Employment Agreement") is herebyaddress the intentions of the parties. After the
entered into as of the 30th day of December 2005appropriate provisions have been drafted, it is
(the "Amendment Effective Date"), by and betweenimportant to include a clause at the end stipulating that
the Employee and the Company (collectively, thethe Parties agree that this Amendment is not intended
"Parties")."to confer any additional rights or obligations on or by
Another example:either Party beyond those expressly set out herein.
"This Amendment, dated December 22, 2000 (theIn terms of modification of the amendment itself, the
"Amendment"), to the Employment Agreement, dateddrafter may also want to explicitly state that the
December 22, 1998 (the "Agreement"), by andamendment may be amended or modified only by
between New Edge Media, Inc. ("NEM") and Markwritten agreement executed by the Parties.