what is fixed term employment

Fixed-term employment refers to a type of employment that has a specified start and end date, where an employee agrees to work until a specified end date or at the completion of a project. These contracts are usually regulated by countries labor laws to ensure that employers fulfill basic labor rights. They are often used for temporary or seasonal workers, project-based work, or to cover specific absences such as maternity or sick leave. Fixed-term contracts can be very useful when a company needs to cover another employee’s leave or to hire an employee for the exact length of a particular project. However, they can also lead to job insecurity, so employment laws in many countries limit the circumstances and the way these contracts may be used. In some countries, such as the United Kingdom, employees on fixed-term contracts for a certain duration may automatically become permanent employees unless there is a good business reason not to do so. Fixed-term employment contracts can provide access to specialized skills that may not be available in the current workforce and offer employers flexibility in their staffing needs.