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Original poster

Employment contract without Probationary period

15 replies

bobthemoggie · 08/04/2016 16:28

Hi All
I would like to know which employers do offer non-probationary permanent contracts in UK?

I know its a common practice to have 3/6 months probation in standard contract.
But, nowadays there're few employers who have started giving non-probationary permanent contracts. (A rather good change!)
It can helpful for mid-level experienced professional who is just changing the job or middle of some of the important life events etc..& also thinking of stability for stuff like mortgage etc..

I would like to make list of these employers especially for IT and project management roles.

So far I have managed to find out one:
BSky

Kindly let me know any other similar

Many Thanks

OP posts:
aginghippy · 08/04/2016 16:50

But employees don't have many rights in the first year of employment, anyway. Even without a formal probationary period, the new employer could just let you go after 3 or 6 months if they want to.

What are you going to do with the list you make?

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 08/04/2016 16:53

Sky don't routinely not offer probation - it's case by case.

And up to two years of employment, there's not many rights. You can't go to a tribunal and you can be dismissed for any non discriminatory reason.

HeadDreamer · 08/04/2016 16:53

It's now two years of employment before you can go to the tribunal. They can dismiss you without any reason. In effect, everyone is under probation for 2 years anyway.

DoreenLethal · 08/04/2016 16:54

But employees don't have many rights in the first year of employment, anyway

Two years. The Tories increased it to 2.

lougle · 08/04/2016 17:01

Surely probationary periods are only important if you may be incompetent or unreliable? I'm a staff nurse and have just finished 6 months in post. I had my 20 week review, all fine. Then my manager said 'now I've got to sign to say if I think your post should be made permanent'. 'Oh right. Are you happy?' 'Yep'...that's it. I have had one day sick in 6 months (a virus that made me unsafe to drive, let alone nurse). I have done stacks of overtime. I'm reliable and conscientious. Why wouldn't they make my post permanent?

Brokenbiscuit · 08/04/2016 18:05

As others have said, you have very few rights during your first two years of employment, so I'm not really sure what difference it would make.

FiveSixPickUpSticks · 08/04/2016 18:11

I'm not sure why a company should offer a contract with no probation period.

Also as pp have said under law under 2 years you have very few rights.

Why are you so interested anyway???

flowery · 08/04/2016 19:36

The only thing that usually changes when someone passes their probationary period is that their notice period increases. Their employment is no more secure than it was the day before they passed it.

DoreenLethal · 08/04/2016 21:33

I'm not sure why a company should offer a contract with no probation period.

Also as pp have said under law under 2 years you have very few rights

You've answered your own question there. Companies don't really need one as the government has supplied them with get out clauses for 2 years anyway. They are pointless.

stumblymonkey · 12/04/2016 05:34

I work in insurance as a Project Manager and have never had a probationary period in a contract.

Odd question though...are you expecting to fail a probation?

MyLocal · 12/04/2016 06:06

I don't know why you want to make a oust either, are you a journalist and this is lazy research for your next article?

MyLocal · 12/04/2016 06:07

*list not oust!

Cindy34 · 12/04/2016 06:17

Probation is useful for times when the new job is not what you thought it was, you can leave early.

purplevase · 13/04/2016 19:13

Employer don't need to mess around with probationary periods as the first 2 years is effectively probationary anyway. You have very few employment rights until you've been somewhere for two years (thanks Coalition government for that, at least it was only a year before that).

However they still do it as they can have shorter notice periods (cheapskates) but I suppose it does benefit the employee if they hate the job and want to leave quickly.

maggiethemagpie · 16/04/2016 20:26

Where I work we offer six month probation periods, after that point even if someone has less than two years we would usually go through a full capability procedure to dismiss even if legally we dont' need to.

But a lot of places would still let you go at 1 year 11 months without batting an eyelid, so I always think of the 'statutory probation period' as being 2 years.

I got past 2 years last week and breathed a slight sigh of relief!

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