contract-law
How to say &quot;a.s.a.p.&quot; in a formal contract
<p>I want to send a worker a contract that I will pay "a.s.a.p.". Is there a better way to write it in a contract? I feel it is better to specify a date, but it might look even worse than a.s.a.p. to write "within two weeks" or "before the end of the first week in July"?</p>

<p>There is not a conflict, I just want to make clear that I'm not trying to trick the guy into a business and not paying him. </p>

<p>The problem with "as soon as possible" is that one could then say "Well, I've got a lot of bills, so it's not possible to pay you until Uncle Bill dies and I get my inheritance". A good contract leaves no doubt about who does what, when. A specific date is best, though if there is a certain amount of backing and forthing, "July 30" could be "tomorrow", and therefore "within 14 days of acceptance" would still identify a specific date -- provided that the date of acceptance is there in the contract. (It usually is, but doesn't absolutely <em>have</em> to be). </p>

<p>This is often referred to as a "time is of the essence" clause.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.contractstandards.com/clauses/time-essence" rel="nofollow">Example time is of the essence</a></p>
