Human Resources Division

Guidance on the use of fixed-term contracts, including transfer to open-ended contracts

Summary

This Guidance summarises University policy adopted in response to the Fixed-Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002, which aims to prevent fixed term staff being treated less favourably than colleagues on similar permanent contracts, and to limit the use of successive fixed term contracts where these cannot be objectively justified.

Key changes to the University's policy, implemented from 1 June 2009, are as follows:

Initial appointment to a fixed term contract that can be objectively justified normally limited to no more than five years
More specific objective justifications are required for fixed term contracts on funding grounds, ie also linked to a specific project or work
Move to an open-ended contract on renewal/extension of the initial fixed-term contract, unless there are exceptional circumstances
A funding clause will be included where appropriate in the cover letter/ amendment letter for open ended contracts
Redundancy procedures to be followed when a fixed-term contract ends or when funding/requirement for the post for an open-ended contract ceases or significantly diminishes (in latter cases, HR Business Manager/Adviser should be contacted by the manager at the earliest possibility for guidance through the process)

Staff and managers with queries should refer to Procedure on Ending Fixed Term Contracts.

The HR Business Manager or HR Adviser allocated to your institution can provide detailed advice on individual cases.