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Have you heard of a 7 year employment contract? (Anonymous post 🤫)

Recruitment

Ocean King Staff Senior Community Executive at CharityConnect Posted 6 months ago

This question is from a member of our community that wishes to remain anonymous:

I'm considering working for an organisation where they are offering a 7 year contract. Is this strange? What are your experiences/thoughts?

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David Partridge Staff PANEL

Director of Finance and People at Become 6 months ago

This would seem to be unusual to me. Any employee on fixed-term contracts for four or more years will automatically become a permanent employee, unless the employer can show there is a good business reason not to do so. I therefore don't really see the benefit of a 7-year contract.

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Stuart Davis Staff PANEL

Consultant at Stuart Davis Group 5 months ago

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This does seem odd.

I wonder if the organisation is headquartered outside the UK. There are some countries where this might be seen as more normal practice, and the organisation has imported this into their UK contracts without really thinking about it.

If so, it does no harm to point out what the regulations say here. If they change, great. If they don't listen, then you probably have had a lucky escape.

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Calli Pellegrini Staff PANEL

Director of Resources & Enterprise at CPotential 5 months ago

This is unusual. If the role is associated with a project that's expected to last seven years then that would explain the length of the contract offered, e.g. for a capital project. But it doesn't absolve the employer of its responsibility to you as you will be considered a permanent employee by then.

https://www.gov.uk/fixed-term-contracts/renewing-or-ending-a-fixedterm-contract

If it's a job you really want and it's been offered to you, the employer has to send you the contract by your first day of employment. Read it thoroughly and check any relevant clauses that might sit in the Employee Handbook instead. If you're happy with everything then take the job. If you have any concerns that can't be satisfactorily assuaged then leave. Your notice period during your probation period should be very short.

Good luck.

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