Fixed-term contract of employment (Great Britain)

When to use this document

• ·You need cover for an employee on maternity leave in England and want a fixed-term contract.
• ·You are taking on seasonal staff in Wales and want contracts with a clear end date.
• ·A new project lasts a year and you want to hire someone just for that time.
• ·You want a fixed-term employment contract that is also the written statement of terms.

What you fill in

The details the document asks for.

• ·Date
• ·Employer
• ·Employer's company number at Companies House (if a company)
• ·Employer's registered address
• ·Town or city
• ·Employer's postcode
• ·Employee
• ·Employee's address
• ·Employee's postcode
• ·Start date
• ·Earlier date continuous employment began (only if a previous employer's service counts)
• ·Date the fixed term ends
• ·Why the job is for a fixed term (e.g. it covers a colleague's maternity leave)
• ·Length of the probationary period, if any (e.g. three months)
• ·Job title
• ·Main duties of the job
• ·Place of work (address, or the area and the employer's base if it varies)
• ·Work outside the UK for more than a month at a time, if any (where, how long, pay and terms)
• ·Gross base salary
• ·The pay is an amount
• ·How often pay is paid
• ·Payday (e.g. the last working day of each month)
• ·Normal working hours and days (e.g. 37.5 hours a week, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm)
• ·Overtime and how it is paid, if any
• ·Annual leave, in working days
• ·Bank holidays: included in the holiday days, or on top of them
• ·Day the holiday year begins (e.g. 1 January)
• ·Sick pay beyond statutory sick pay
• ·Workplace pension scheme (its name, e.g. NEST)
• ·Other benefits, if any (e.g. health insurance, bonus scheme)
• ·Training the employer provides or requires, and who pays for it
• ·Collective agreements that affect the terms (or “none”)
• ·Where staff can read the disciplinary and grievance procedures (e.g. the staff handbook)
• ·Person to write to with a grievance or an appeal (job title)
• ·Notice the employee must give (e.g. one month's)
• ·Notice the employer must give (e.g. one month's, or the statutory minimum if longer)
• ·Law that governs the agreement
• ·Person signing for the employer

Related documents

• Contract of employment with written statement of particulars (Great Britain)

  For an employer in England, Wales or Scotland taking on an employee on a permanent contract: a contract that is also the written statement of employment particulars under section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, which every employee and worker must have on or before their first day. It sets out the job, place of work, pay, hours, at least 5.6 weeks' holiday, sick pay, pension enrolment, notice and where the disciplinary and grievance rules are. Acas publishes free written-statement templates. Signed by both; each keeps a copy.

• Employee confidentiality agreement (Great Britain)

  For an employer and an employee in England, Wales or Scotland: an agreement that the employee keeps the employer's confidential information secret during and after the employment, keeps it secure and returns it on leaving. It states plainly what it cannot stop — whistleblowing, reporting a crime, the disclosures a victim of crime may make, speaking about harassment, discrimination or pay — and contains no non-compete or other restriction after the job ends. Signed by both.

• Agreement changing a contract of employment for hybrid or home working (Great Britain)

  For an employer and an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who agree that the employee will work partly or wholly from home: a signed variation of the contract setting out the pattern of days, the start date, equipment, any contribution to costs, workstation safety, data security, an optional trial period and how the arrangement can be reviewed or ended. Everything else in the contract stays the same. Signed by both; each keeps a copy.

• Request for unpaid leave by agreement with your employer (Great Britain)

  For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who needs time off beyond their holiday — a long trip, a family matter, study — and wants their employer's agreement: a letter asking for unpaid leave between two dates, with the return date, and asking the employer to confirm in writing your return to the same job and what happens to holiday, pension and benefits. There is no general right to unpaid leave; carer's leave, parental leave and time off for dependants are separate statutory rights. Hand it in and email it.

• Statutory flexible working request (Great Britain)

  For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who wants to change their hours, days or place of work — part-time, compressed hours, home or hybrid working: a dated, written statutory request under section 80F of the Employment Rights Act 1996, giving your present pattern, the change and when it should start, and saying whether you made another request in the last 12 months. It is a right from your first day, and the employer must decide within two months. Hand it in and email it.

• Annual leave request to your employer (Great Britain)

  For a worker in England, Wales or Scotland who wants to book paid holiday: a dated written request giving the first and last day and the number of working days, asking for written approval. Unless your contract or holiday rules say otherwise, the Working Time Regulations 1998 ask for notice of twice the length of the leave, and let the employer refuse only by counter-notice as long as the leave. Acas explains the rules free. Send it by email or hand it in, keeping a copy.