Fixed Term Contract over 4 years

gilliessy

I am wondering if anyone has any guidance on this topic.

I have been employed on 4 successive fixed term contracts over the past 5 years for a government agency, the last renewal being in December last year. The post has been funded both by a mixture of both internal and external funders, but I have been informed it will not be getting extended due to external funding ending and no internal funding available for this area of work for the amount the team I am a part of requested to move forwards, however they are progressing with the work at a reduced scale and a smaller team that is made up of staff whom have permanent status.

The HR department has not at any time indicated to me if I am eligible for a permanent position in the organisation after 4 years, instead just further extended my fixed term employment for another period…. I am guessing this is due to external funding? At no time has HR actively sought to find an alternative position in the organisation for me since I was issued with notice of redundancy, despite my redundancy letter saying them would and despite new positions being regularly advertised within the organisation that I am suitably qualified for.

Does anyone have any comment or guidance on how to approach HR regarding this, given I have had successive fixed term contracts over 5 years? Am I correct in thinking, since the post has been externally funded a number of times - I have no right to permanent employment?

Guest101

No-one has a right to a permanent position. So ignore that.


There's 2 things that are applicable, and someone better than me will correct me im sure.


1: if there is alternative positions available, which are comparable to your current role you should be offered one of these.


2: if 1 doesn't happen, you would get redundancy payment, have they alluded to the amount?

jobbingmusician

My belief is that you have every right to redeployment. They wouldn't be giving you formal redundancy unless you were entitled to it, so I think you should point out to HR that they are advertising other positions which you believe would be suitable redeployment.

gilliessy

Thanks for the quick responses.

There have been a number of alternative positions in the organisation that have been suitable, but not once has HR approached me about them, nor have they even carried out any consultation with me to determine my skill sets and experience etc.... so how do they even know how to redeploy me somewhere, other than by guessing from my job title and area of work. All they have done is send me a finishing date and yes have alluded to the amount I shall get - no other communication.

By law in summer last year they should have possibly moved my fixed term contract to permanent, but since it's been a part externally post, I guess that is an objective reason not to - so instead just extended me onto another fixed term contract. Forth in 5 years.

sangie595

In my experience, what you are expecting isn't the way things work. Once your are within the at risk period, and that is often only a short period of time towards the end of your employment, you are placed in a redeployment pool, and any vacancies that arise are job matched against that pool. If anyone matches they are interviewed as potential redeployments. But nobody is going to go out there and look for a job for you. The legal duty is fulfilled by giving you access to the vacancies available - you have responsibilities here too. If you see a job that you think you should qualify for, you need to have told them so. You obviously have that access. So why, when you saw jobs, didn't you say or do something?

And no... After four years, by law, you have the right to ask to be made permanent. Not that that means much. You didn't ask, then they didn't have to even think about it.

In large government agencies, at any one time now, there are many people in your position. And only a handful of HR people doing redeployment matters as part of their job. They have no time to job seek for you, and time is usually limited to the bare minimum. After that it is down to you. In the end, the people who get redeployed are the ones that work hardest at it.