CAO Employment Contract Toolkit

CAO EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT TOOLKIT

Recognizing the importance of a well-structured employment contract for municipal administrators, the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) developed the CAO Employment Contract Toolkit which is available to members by visiting the Member’s Section of the CAMA website.

Originally developed in 2022 and recently updated to reflect evolving municipal governance and employment practices, the Toolkit serves as a practical Canadian resource for both experienced municipal leaders and individuals entering a CAO role for the first time. The resource provides guidance, recommendations, sample clauses, and leading practices intended to support fair, transparent, and mutually beneficial employment agreements.

The Toolkit includes information on:

• assessing organizational and political culture;
• negotiating employment agreements;
• compensation and benefits considerations;
• pension portability;
• respectful workplace and governance considerations;
• performance evaluation processes;
• severance and termination provisions;
• remote and hybrid work considerations;
• legal review considerations;
• and legislative differences across Provinces and Territories.

The Toolkit also includes sample contracts, sample contract clauses, and a sample CAO Bylaw and job description to assist municipalities and administrators in developing agreements that reflect local needs and circumstances.

Recognizing the diversity of municipalities across Canada, some sections of the Toolkit may be more applicable to certain communities depending on factors such as size, governance structure, geography, and provincial or territorial legislation. Users are encouraged to consider local practices, legal requirements, and organizational context when utilizing the resource.