Fixed-Term Contract workers rights

Contract workers have the same rights as permanent staff.

Few of these Fixed Term Contract (FTC) workers, however, know about these developments, and may not benefit from the legal changes unless their employers do the right thing.

The changes are incorporated both in the Act and in the Fixed Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations.

Employers offering pension schemes to conventional employees, must offer them to part-timers, volunteers and contract workers as well.

The new rules state that FTC workers should not be treated less favourably than other workers. This means that they should not be paid less than permanent employees and should not be treated in a different way - told to work overtime or lose their job, for example.

There can also be differentials if they can produce objective justification for them. For instance, an employer might decide not to send staff on a three month contract on a particular IT training course because the system it relates to will not be introduced until after they have left.

Other benefits from 1 October 2002 include medical insurance, training, company cars, cheap loans, use of the canteen and nurseries. 

If you have an employment dispute or concern contact our legal partners CCRS (the authors of this factsheet) immediately.   

* To: unfair dismissal