Object reference not set to an instance of an object after creating a View

Question

I have a pretty simple program so far, meaning it shouldn't be too hard to find the problem.

When I load the website I get the following error on line 21 of the SignUp view:

@Html.EditorFor(model => model.EmployeeId, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })

System.NullReferenceException: 'Object reference not set to an instance of an object.'

The model class

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Globalization;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;

namespace MVCApp.Models
{
    public class EmployeeModel
    {
        public int EmployeeId { get; set; }
        public string FirstName { get; set; }
        public string LastName { get; set; }
        public string EmailAddress { get; set; }
        public string ConfirmEmail { get; set; }
        public string Password { get; set; }
        public string ConfirmPassword { get; set; }
    }
}

The controller

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Mvc;

namespace MVCApp.Controllers
{
    public class HomeController : Controller
    {

        ...

        public ActionResult SignUp()
        {
            ViewBag.Message = "Employee Sign Up";

            return View();
        }
    }
}

The view (autogenerated)

@model MVCApp.Models.EmployeeModel

@{
    ViewBag.Title = "Employee Sign Up";
}

<h2>SignUp</h2>


@using (Html.BeginForm()) 
{
    @Html.AntiForgeryToken()
    
    <div class="form-horizontal">
        <h4>EmployeeModel</h4>
        <hr />
        @Html.ValidationSummary(true, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        <div class="form-group">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.EmployeeId, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
            <div class="col-md-10">
                @Html.EditorFor(model => model.EmployeeId, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
                @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.EmployeeId, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class="form-group">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.FirstName, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
            <div class="col-md-10">
                @Html.EditorFor(model => model.FirstName, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
                @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.FirstName, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class="form-group">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.LastName, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
            <div class="col-md-10">
                @Html.EditorFor(model => model.LastName, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
                @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.LastName, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class="form-group">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.EmailAddress, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
            <div class="col-md-10">
                @Html.EditorFor(model => model.EmailAddress, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
                @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.EmailAddress, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class="form-group">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.ConfirmEmail, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
            <div class="col-md-10">
                @Html.EditorFor(model => model.ConfirmEmail, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
                @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ConfirmEmail, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class="form-group">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Password, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
            <div class="col-md-10">
                @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Password, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
                @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Password, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class="form-group">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.ConfirmPassword, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
            <div class="col-md-10">
                @Html.EditorFor(model => model.ConfirmPassword, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
                @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.ConfirmPassword, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
            </div>
        </div>

        <div class="form-group">
            <div class="col-md-offset-2 col-md-10">
                <input type="submit" value="Create" class="btn btn-default" />
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
}

<div>
    @Html.ActionLink("Back to List", "Index")
</div>

@section Scripts {
    @Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jqueryval")
}

I'm using Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2019 Version 16.7.2 and .NET Framework 4.7.2

Thank you