Temporary contract, termination/extension procedures?

[Deleted User]

Hi.
I started a job back in September 2014 on a temporary contract to en on 31st August 2015.

Since then I had a title rise and a significant increase in my working hours. I was part time when started and am now full time.
I had an appraisal after 6 months and received good feedback so I juts assumed my contract would become permanent.

At around the time of my appraisal, we all learnt that there is going to be some massive changes in the work place soon, (refurbishment and deployment) and we knew things were going to change. Since then one member of the staff on temporary contract was given notice and today I learnt that another one has had a cut in her hours.
I have heard nothing and I am now wondering what is going to happen to me?

I know I need to ask HR and will do 1st thing tomorrow morning but I am just trying to gather some opinions before going to sleep…
Should I have had notice reminding the end of the contract like person 1 did? Is this the usual thing done? Or should I just assume my contract ends when it ends? If they were going to keep me, should I have heard from them by now?

jobbingmusician

IIWY I would just keep my head down (but, depending on what your contract says, start looking around for other work.)

It is actually irrelevant that you are on a temporary contract. Employers can get rid of employees with less than 2 years' service on a whim, at any time, as long as they don't discriminate on the basis of a protected characteristic.

I am certainly NOT surprised that they haven't told you they are keeping you. Things are obviously in a state of flux, and actually, horrid as you feel, you are in a better place than if they said they wanted to keep you and then let you down!

[Deleted User]

Thanks for your time and your reply.

I have been meaning to ask for a while now and kind of decided I should do it tomorrow, as much as I would rather keep my head down…
Problem is: I have a primary age child to support and I am a single parent so it is very difficult to keep the anxiety levels down in this situation.
I had a quick look at jobs online and there are few positions out there that I could apply for, however I would have to provide them with sources for references and go to interviews etc, so I won't apply until I have a definite answer from the current job.
Such a tricky situation, I just wish they would tell me straight.
Soon they will announce all the deployments and I will find out for sure. Question is: How to deal with my anxiety by then...

getmore4less

A temp contract is one where they have just given notice at the start.

It should say what the notice requirements are.

Did you get in writing the changes in hours/pay as that will form part of your modified contract

asajj

I don't think you would be given as you already know the end date of your contract. At least that's what happened to me previously.

~Beanie~

I was in this position a few years back, I went to my Line Manager and said that as my contract was due to end on xx date and I needed a job to pay the mortgage, then I would be starting to apply for other jobs and they would possibly get requests for references.

This gave them the nudge that was needed to sort something out one way or the other and I was advised that I would be kept on permanently. Even if they are not planning to keep you on, at least you will know when they say, 'OK, good luck with your job search'!

footyguy

Deleted_User wrote: »

Hi.
I started a job back in September 2014 on a temporary contract to en on 31st August 2015.

Since then I had a title rise and a significant increase in my working hours. I was part time when started and am now full time.
I had an appraisal after 6 months and received good feedback so I juts assumed my contract would become permanent.

At around the time of my appraisal, we all learnt that there is going to be some massive changes in the work place soon, (refurbishment and deployment) and we knew things were going to change. Since then one member of the staff on temporary contract was given notice and today I learnt that another one has had a cut in her hours.
I have heard nothing and I am now wondering what is going to happen to me?

I know I need to ask HR and will do 1st thing tomorrow morning but I am just trying to gather some opinions before going to sleep…
Should I have had notice reminding the end of the contract like person 1 did? Is this the usual thing done? Or should I just assume my contract ends when it ends? If they were going to keep me, should I have heard from them by now?

If you have a fixed term contract with a specified end date, you should assume it ends when it says it does.

By all means, try to clarify the situation beforehand, and if the employer does wish to retain you beyond the current termination date, ask that they put this in writing to you ... else you can only expect to start to seek new employment w.e.f. the termination date, and you may no longer be able to offer your services to them if they don't decide until later.
(Of course, that may also result in reasonable requests for time off work to attend interviews elsewhere and presumably you would also like to give your current employer as a reference to any future employer, as ask for that permission too)

[Deleted User]

Thanks all. I had another look at my paperwork.

So my first contract part time was due to end in August 15. When they changed for full time the end date moved to April 16.

So what they are going to do now is reduce my hours (from 30 to 22) and this is fixed until April 2016. However after all the changes happen and everything is settled there will probably an opportunity to increase i hours again.

I am happy with the outcome. And I didn't even need to go and ask. My letter was ready for me this morning.

KiKi

That's good that you know. Just to make you aware, that even though the end date is April 2016, they can dismiss you at any time in the first two years (as JM said), regardless of your contract, and as long as not for unlawful discriminatory reasons. So if things change again, having a fixed term contract until 2016 isn't a guarantee of work.
They obviously like you enough to want to keep you given that they've lost others, so that should be a compliment!
KiKi