What A Fixed Term Contract Means

A fixed-term contract has a built-in end date, but that structure does not automatically remove your right to a fair process if things end differently from what was agreed.

What It Means

This is a contract set to run for a specific period or project, rather than continuing indefinitely, ending naturally on its stated date without either side needing to give notice.

Problems arise when an employer ends it before that date, or repeatedly renews it in a way that starts to look like ongoing, permanent employment in substance.

Why It Matters To You

Ending a fixed-term contract early, without a valid reason connected to your conduct, performance, or a genuine business need, can be challenged in much the same way as any other dismissal.

A long pattern of renewals that suddenly stops can also raise a real question about whether the fixed-term structure reflected the true nature of your working relationship.

Can Your Employer Just Let It Lapse

Look at how many times your contract was renewed, how similar each renewal was, and whether you were given any reason for the change this time.

Read about genuine fixed-term work to understand how courts tell a real fixed-term arrangement apart from one used to avoid ordinary dismissal protections.

If your contract ended and you believe it was unfair, check your 60-day window on the deadline calculator.