Despite the prevalence of electronic and digital signatures, there is still a huge number of individuals who are hesitant to make the switch. The vast majority are still unsure about the validity of electronic signatures in a court of law. Many of them ask, Are office contracts digitally signed legally binding?
The simple answer is yes, documents signed using digital or electronic signatures are legally binding. It has the same weight and validity of wet signatures written on printed documents. Many countries around the world recognize electronic and digital signatures to be legally binding and enforceable.
For example, in the United States, the government enacted a federal law, Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, more commonly known as the E-Sign Act, regulating contracts entered into electronically or digitally.
The E-Sign Act enumerated a few requirements to ensure the validity and enforceability of any documents signed using electronic signatures. For instance, the law states that everyone involved in the paperwork has to consent to use electronic signatures when signing. The signer also must intend to sign the HR documents. There must also be proof attached to the paperwork to verify the electronic signature. Finally, the data integrity should be kept to ensure the document cannot be tampered with.