Is your fixed term really fixed?
Your contract keeps being renewed, and you doubt it is still temporary work.
A genuine fixed-term contract reflects real, temporary work. The word genuine matters more than it first appears.
What it means
A fixed term is meant to cover work that is truly temporary. Examples are a specific project, a defined season, or cover for someone on leave, each with a clear reason for the end date.
It is not meant to avoid ordinary dismissal protection while the same work carries on indefinitely, as in a permanent role.
Why it matters to you
A contract may be renewed again and again for the same ongoing work, with no real change in circumstances. That pattern can support an argument that the relationship was permanent employment in substance.
If that argument succeeds, ending the arrangement without a fair reason can be challenged like an ordinary dismissal.
How do you tell if yours is genuine
Ask whether the reason for the fixed term still exists today. Or did it quietly disappear while your contract kept being renewed in the same form?
Read about fixed-term contracts to see how the ending of one can be challenged. Keep a copy of every renewal you were given.
If your contract has now ended, check your 60-day window on the deadline calculator before you decide your next step.
If your fixed-term contract was renewed again and again before it ended and you are considering a claim, an independent employment lawyer can look at your facts. They can advise whether it is worth pursuing.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.
Common questions
How many renewals does it take before a contract stops being genuinely fixed term?
There is no set number in law. It depends on the pattern, the reason given each time, and whether the work was really temporary and not ongoing.
Does my job title change whether this applies to me?
Your title matters less than the substance of the arrangement. A role called project-based that runs for years, doing the same ongoing work, invites closer scrutiny.
Keep reading
If your fixed-term contract was renewed again and again before it ended and you are considering a claim, an independent employment lawyer can look at your facts. They can advise whether it is worth pursuing.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.