Is an employment contract in which an amendment has been made with a pen legally valid?

Questioner

My employment contract has been extended (or at least promised, because I haven't signed yet). Now there was an error in my job description in the contract, so I handed it back unsigned, with an explanation of course. Then a week later I receive another contract, with exactly the same error in it. This one was also handed back with an explanation. After which my manager takes a pen, crosses out the word in question and writes the correct one on the page. Now, this contract has already been signed by the director (who is not my direct manager). Only I would have to sign it to agree. But this way I can also change all sorts of things, such as my salary... So to what extent is this valid? And what else can I do to ensure that, if this contract is not valid, I do get the right contract?

Lawyer

The contract itself will not be invalidated by a manual adjustment. Incidentally, it is customary for parties to place their initials in such a manual adjustment in an agreement. However, from an evidentiary point of view, I would recommend requesting the employer to adjust the agreement (in Word), print it out again and then sign it. In such a case, if only the manual adjustment is used, a discussion could arise afterwards about whether the employer agreed to that adjustment. You yourself also mention this risk.