QES for employment contracts: Legal validity & efficiency across the EU

Looking to simplify the way you handle employee contracts?

QES for employment contracts can make onboarding faster, safer, and fully compliant with EU law. Whether you're in HR or managing a growing team, adopting QES helps you save time, reduce risk, and build a modern, paperless hiring process.

In this article, we explain what Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) are, why they're ideal for employment contracts, and how they’re used across the EU.

What is a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES)?

A Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) is the highest standard of digital signature under the EU’s eIDAS Regulation. It’s:

• Legally equivalent to a handwritten signature

• Backed by a certificate from a qualified trust service provider

• Secure, tamper-proof, and uniquely tied to the signer

To create a QES, you need a qualified certificate issued by an accredited certification authority (CA), ensuring that the signature is securely tied to both you and the document.

Unlike basic electronic signatures (such as typing your name or clicking “I agree”), QES offers strong authentication and guarantees that the signed document remains tamper-proof. 

This makes QES the go-to choice for organizations that need to ensure legal certainty and document integrity.

Why should you use QES for employment contracts?

1. Legal certainty and enforceability

A Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) carries the same legal validity as a handwritten signature within the European Union, ensuring that your employment contracts are fully legally binding. 

By using QES, you can be rest assured that your signed agreements hold up in court, providing strong evidence in case of disputes. 

The audit trail that accompanies each signed document offers an additional layer of security and legal confidence. With QES, you eliminate any doubts about the enforceability of your contracts and ensure that every signed agreement meets the highest standards of legal compliance.

2. Speed and efficiency

The traditional process of signing employment contracts can be lengthy and cumbersome. 

Employees often need to physically sign and return documents, which results in significant delays. QES enables digital signatures, allowing employees to sign contracts instantly, regardless of their location. 

This dramatically speeds up the entire onboarding process, enabling new hires to start their roles sooner. With QES, you remove all the back-and-forth involved with paper documents, making the entire process smoother, faster, and more efficient for both HR teams and employees.

3. Enhanced security

When it comes to employment contracts, the risk of fraud or tampering is a serious concern. 

Unlike basic electronic signatures, QES uses advanced encryption and secure signature creation devices (SSCD), such as smartcards or USB tokens, to ensure that the signature is authentic and the document remains unaltered. 

QES provides strong authentication of the signer’s identity and guarantees that the document hasn’t been modified after signing. This makes it much more secure than traditional methods, offering your organization and employees peace of mind.

Secure your digital signatures with GetAccept’s comprehensive eSignature solutions that fully adhere to the eIDAS regulation.

4. Cost savings

The cost of managing paper contracts - printing, mailing, scanning, and storing documents - can quickly add up, especially as your organization grows. 

By adopting QES, you can eliminate paper-based processes entirely, saving your company both time and money. No more worrying about lost contracts or paying for mailing services. 

The digital storage of signed contracts also reduces costs associated with document management and physical storage.

Plus, by removing the need for physical signatures, your HR team can focus more on strategic tasks, rather than chasing down paperwork.

5. Cross-border efficiency

For companies with international teams, managing contracts can be a logistical nightmare. 

QES solves this problem by offering EU-wide compliance and global recognition. 

Employees in any EU member state - or even outside of the EU - can sign contracts digitally without worrying about the document’s legality or validity in different jurisdictions. 

This cross-border functionality removes the need for complicated notarization or physical meetings. Whether you’re hiring employees in Europe, the US, or anywhere else, QES ensures that every contract is legally enforceable, no matter where the employee is located.

The legal landscape can be complex, so let’s break it down and explore how QES works within the framework of EU employment laws.

How QES for employment contracts works across the EU

QES is recognized as a legally binding signature throughout the European Union, including key countries such as Germany, France, Spain and Sweden.

As businesses embrace digital tools, it's important to understand how employment contracts are handled across various EU member states. Here's an overview of the legal validity of QES for employment contracts in these countries:

Germany

In Germany, QES is fully accepted under the eIDAS Regulation (No. 910/2014), which sets out the legal framework for electronic signatures across the EU. 

Germany's legal system regards QES as equivalent to a handwritten signature, providing the highest level of legal security for employment contracts. It allows for secure, tamper-proof signatures and provides strong legal protection, reducing the risk of disputes or fraud. 

QES is widely used in German HR practices, especially for contracts, agreements, and other essential documents that require full legal validity.

France

In France, QES is legally enforceable and recognized as equivalent to wet ink signatures, particularly for employment contracts and other important legal documents. 

France’s digital signing standards are aligned with the eIDAS Regulation, which means that QES offers cross-border compliance throughout the EU. 

Many French businesses are moving toward QES to streamline their onboarding process and contract management, making the process faster and more efficient while maintaining full legal protection. 

Employment contracts signed with QES are protected from modification or fraud, ensuring the integrity of the agreement.

Spain

Spain has also embraced QES for employment contracts, with the eIDAS Regulation establishing a framework that ensures legal security for digital signatures. 

Like Germany and France, Spain recognizes QES as providing the same legal enforceability as a handwritten signature. This is important for businesses looking to reduce reliance on paper contracts while adhering to Spain's stringent labor laws. 

QES in Spain is increasingly used for worker contracts, especially as remote work and international hiring have become more common. The use of QES accelerates the hiring process and ensures compliance with Spanish employment laws.

Sweden

In Sweden, QES is legally accepted and widely used, particularly in contract law and employment agreements. Sweden has been a leader in adopting digital solutions across both public and private sectors, making QES a trusted tool for securing legally binding employment contracts. 

The Swedish legal system recognizes QES as a valid form of signature and grants it the same legal status as a handwritten signature. 

This is in line with Sweden's commitment to creating a digital-first environment that streamlines business operations while ensuring compliance with European regulations.

Other EU member states

Across the rest of the EU, countries such as Italy, Netherlands, and Belgium have similarly adopted the eIDAS Regulation, recognizing QES as the highest standard for digital signatures. 

QES is now the preferred method for signing employment contracts, company agreements, and other crucial documents. 

Many EU member states have incorporated QES into their labor laws, ensuring businesses comply with data protection regulations and maintain legal certainty in all signed agreements.

Conclusion: Future-proof your hiring

As your organization scales, adopting QES for employee contracts ensures that you maintain efficiency, security, and scalability in your operations.

With QES, you can quickly and securely manage contracts, whether your team is in the office, working remotely, or spread across borders.

It’s the ideal solution for businesses looking to simplify employee contract management while ensuring compliance and legal validity as they grow and evolve.