Whilst legal, I think my employer is BU?

[EightLivesLeft]

Fixed term contract due to end beginning of April. I’ve been there less than 2 years, it was an 18 month deal. The company employs me but my role is funded by a company who I’m contracted to and whose offices I work out of, and who’s have told me they want to keep my role going for at least another 2 years, and they have funding for that. All feedback I’ve received about my work is positive.
I asked my employer what happens next and have been told that there’s no certainty for me yet as others they employ (who do very similar roles for different contractors) haven’t had their funding extended beyond May, and that it’s too early to give me an answer.
I do understand (they would require redundancy and I’m on one weeks notice) but it’s like living in limbo and feels, to me, quite unfair and not very professional?!

Yabu. It's a fixed term contract. Start looking elsewhere.

I think if you don’t want to work under FTC terms, you need to look for something permanent.

I’m not too sure I’d say it’s unprofessional or unfair - you’re on a fixed term contract so you know when it ends, so I’m not sure I’d call it being in limbo either!

They have been open and explained that others funding hasn’t been extended too and that it’s too early to tell you - if anything they seem to be having very open conversations about this with you.

YABU. They are just been open and honest with you about the fact that they don't yet know whether they will be able to offer you anything. That at least gives you the option of looking for something else.

Out of interest, given that they clearly aren't able to confirm anything yet, how do you think they should have handled it?

it was an 18 month deal.

the end

Do you work in the charity sector? Because this is very common

That’s one of the points of FTCs though. So the organisation doesn’t have to decide until fairly late in the day if the money is there to continue the role. If you don’t want that uncertainty you have to just do the other thing, and find a permanent job.

This is the pro and the con of contracting. You can leave, they can leave. You are likely (hopefully) being paid more then an equivalent permanent employee and the consequence is lack of job security.

They could give you certainty by telling you it’s not being extended.

They can’t extend your contract knowing that permanent staff may the be made redundant.

Unfortunately their duty will be to those who are on permie contracts. So if someone else does not have work and can do the role that you do, they will be better off releasing you before the 2 yr point. That's the whole point of a FTC. Sorry

The others aren’t on permanent contracts, they are fixed term also, but they have been there longer than 2 years.

They will have acquired more rights as they are over 2 years. So it will be easier to lose you then them. I am sorry OP but in your shoes I'd be looking for another job.
Is it worth making enquires at company that you're currently doing the work for ? Most places have anti poaching clauses but they are virtually unenforceable!

So inevitably they're going to be the priority because the employer has a legal duty to them which they don't have to you.

You haven't said how you would have expected them to handle it differently?

Would you have preferred it if they just told you that your contract would be terminated and that you should look for another job? Because that would be their only other option really. Isn't it better to keep your options open while there is still uncertainty?

They are obviously going to be priority

in your shoes, I’d be job hunting

This

What exactly do you think is unreasonable about it OP?
They don't know if they'll renew your contract so they have been clear on that.

Did you not understand what a FTC entailed when you took the job?

I have been looking but the market out there isn’t great! There is an anti-poaching clause but interesting that they’re not particularly enforceable so that is certainly an option.
It’s my first time in a FTC and first full time job and feels short sighted to me since they know the money is there and I’m good at what I do. I do understand they have a duty to those with protected rights. If I were in charge I’d speak to everyone and find out their preferences and try to find solutions rather than stonewalling but what do I know.

They aren't stonewalling, though? They have been very transparent about the current situation.

And based on your OP, they don't know yet that the money is out there to extend everyone's contracts. I'm not sure how you think they can "find solutions" until the wider funding questions can be resolved.

That's not how it works though. The money is there (at least verbally, maybe not contractually yet... it's a bit soon for them to have signed contracts on it yet IMO), but it isn't assigned to you. It's assigned to a role, that many people can do.

You, along with others, will be told the next steps when the Company know. They can't tell you before they know.

I don't understand the problem. They may extend it, but they can't give you an official answer now. I'd ask for a date when they're expected to have a definite position.

If I were in charge I’d speak to everyone and find out their preferences and try to find solutions rather than stonewalling but what do I know.

well this screams of inexperience for a start

You do have certainty. You don't have a contract after April, so you need to look for something else. Where has the expectation of permanence come from?

You nailed it, OP - it's legal. This is how fixed contracts work, so I don't know what else you expect?

Yes basically the anti poaching is usually a contract between the 2 companies involved and sometimes there are restrictions in employment contracts saying you cant work for x, y, z companies for something like 6 months post departure from the company.

However in practice ET will support the individual trying to find employment so if you see a role that's advertised and apply for it and it so happens that is for Company y that you are doing work with and company x which employs you has already told you your job is at risk, they (company x) wont have a leg to stand on in bringing a claim

This is the deal with FTC. Honestly you can expect uncertainty until the day your contract expires, I've seen HR teams processing extensions at 4pm on the day.