Scroll of Empowerment

A Scroll of Empowerment is provided by an employer, who is registered with the Guild of their profession, to an employee offering services in return for wages and/or other privileges. This document is passed to future employers who can be assured of the employee's integrity.
It is a coveted document among peasants and commoners as it protects them, and often their families, against any agent of the Law. A City Guard is unlikely to take offence at your face if you can show a Scroll of Empowerment.
Forgeries are common but beware: if there is no employer who can produce their copy of your contract, the punishment is six months of hard labour in prison.

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to empower the employer to speak and act, on the behalf, and to the benefit, of the employee in matters related to the Law. It also empowers the employee to demand that their employer acts and speaks on their behalf in matters related to the Law. It also serves as a document for identification of the employee, and a means by which they can demand a wage.
It was created to ensure that no person lawfully employed, and in service to a registered member of a Guild or Council, could be used by the Law against the employer; to act as a means by which to identify a lawful employee and service member of society; and to ensure no lawful employee or service member is cheated out of their lawful wage.

Document Structure

Clauses

Identification of Signatories: The names and titles of employee and employer. Each employee needs their own document, but several employers may be named if several employers are empowered on behalf of this employee.
Services Promised: Details of the services the employee provides to the employer.
Wages Promised: Details of the payments promised in return for the above promised services.
Other Privileges: Any other privileges of either party, such as if the employer receives custody rights to the employee's property in case of death, or failure to provide services promised; or if the employee is empowered to speak or act on behalf of the employer.
Duration of Contract: Can be used in case of any limitations on the contracts, such as if the contract is rendered void upon failure to provide services or wages promised.

Legal status

This document is valid under Law, which means that any person, or persons, operating within the parameters of the Laws of the Fedheran Union are bound to respect and obey the powers of this document.

Historical Details

Background

The Scroll of Empowerment was first used within the Merchants' Guild to comply with the Agreement of Fair Trade, which states that no merchant operating within the Guild may do so with fraudulent details, or malicious intent. Thus the Scroll of Empowerment was made firstly, to identify the employee and upon whose behalf they operate, and secondly, to ensure that each employer treated their employee as per agreed upon terms.
In 64FU, the Merchants' Council was formed as part of the King's Advisory Councils, and the documents were entered into Law. This ensured that the merchants would not lose valuable employees to ambitious agents of the Law. It is also meant to ensure that a member of a registered Guild will not command their employee to act against the Law, as they will be forced to face the Law on their employee's behalf.

Public Reaction

The Scroll of Empowerment is a coveted document for peasants and commoners, as it provides them with more rights and privileges. To the employee it is their employers' promise to protect them against an entity against which they, by themselves, are powerless.
To nobles and Guild Members it is an assurance that services will be provided, and that a potential employee has a trusted background.

Type

Contract, Civil

Medium

Vellum / Skin

Harold by William Adams