Legal Question in Employment Law in Pennsylvania

Re: signatures on employment contracts

Yes. This is a settled matter of contract law.

A signature, to be valid, may be an electronic representation of a person's signature. This originally was provided for in the federal E-Sign law, but since every state has adopted its equivalent.

To go one step further, you will notice in a lot of emails, a line in the footer that states "unless otherwise explicitly stated herein, this message is not intended to bind either party to a contract." This clasue is intended to prevent the unintentional acceptance of a contract under the E-Sign laws.

As to validity, a contract must be signed by the party to be charged. Where the company made an offer to you in an employment contract then the contract can be assumed to be signed by the offeror. Even were it not the E-Sign law allows a facsimile signature.

Long way to a short answer.

Regards,

Roger Traversa

email: [email protected]