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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Confusion around employment contract

2 replies

Notimeforaname · 15/09/2025 12:55

Hi all,
I originally put this in Craicnet, as I am in Ireland so employment laws could be very different but theres more traffic here...

I have a contract of definite duration which ran out last week when I was on annual leave.
Ive had this kind of contract for 3 years now.
Work had not contacted me to renew it but expected me at work this week(I presume they just forgot)
I had to contact my line manager last week to ask if senior management had mentioned anything about it, line manager said they would speak with seniors this morning.
I am WFH today but expected to be in office tomorrow.
I am still awaiting my renewed contract.
Should/shouldn't I be signed in and working at this very moment?
Not sure what I should be doing as nobody will respond and I'm getting conflicting advice when I search online.
I've had an awful time lately with a couple of senior managers, they are awful people.
This same thing happened last year, contract expired, no word on new one, except I just continued to work for about 6 weeks until I pushed them for my new contract!
They said they were just amending a couple of things.
One of those amendments was a new, ridiculous notice period (9 weeks!) I stupidly just signed it as we were in a very busy period.

I want to negotiate this today when I do get my new contract but I'm unsure whether I have the leverage to do this or if they can just revoke the offer if I'm seen as being "difficult"??
Because its a contract of definite duration, they don't have to give me notice and can just not renew my contract, therefore I couldn't have them for unfair dismissal.

But, because I'm now technically working with no contract, is this now a grey area and would I have any sort of case if they did refuse the new contract after I try to negotiate?
Also...if nobody gets back to me today to negotiate, do I just show up to work tomorrow? If i don't, can they reprimand me? I'll really fuck up the department tomorrow if I'm not in.
Aibu to not go into work tomorrow if I haven't had a chance to speak to someone and sign?

Apologies if any of that is confusing. I'm slightly worried and need to sort this by the end of today

OP posts:
VanCleefArpels · 15/09/2025 12:58

Are you a member of a Union - if so, get legal advice via them

Do you have legal cover with your home insurance? If so use that to get legal advice

In the meantime accurately record your hours of work given you are no longer in contract

Notimeforaname · 15/09/2025 13:30

VanCleefArpels · 15/09/2025 12:58

Are you a member of a Union - if so, get legal advice via them

Do you have legal cover with your home insurance? If so use that to get legal advice

In the meantime accurately record your hours of work given you are no longer in contract

Thanks so much!
No I have no union..we dont even have a HR department!

It's one on the seniors managers who acts as HR if there is an issue. I don't have home insurance as I'm living with my parents.

I will just pay for legal advice if I have to, no problem. I just needed a quick solution for today.

My line manager told me this morning they had spoken to the higher ups who were sending my contract shortly. Im still waiting.
I have now emailed one of them to ask for it and told them I'm not comfortable working without one. Still waiting for a response.

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