If you are in retail… do you have to sign a contract (renewal) yearly?

[alltoomuchrightnow]

Just that, really.
I need to find my contract which has gone astray and check what it says as I was under the impression I was permanent.
I thought once I'd passed my probation, that was that and once I signed the contract it was permanent. Not so.
I've now been manager of this shop for 11 months so am asked to come in for my six monthly appraisal and to talk re renewal of my contract.

Is this the norm these days? I"ve been in retail for 28 years on and off. I've never had to renew yearly.
It makes me worry re talking of renewal. Why can't they just get me to sign it? I wasn't aware of any problems so I'm really anxious now!

Do you think they may have made some changes to your contract like maybe a pay rise or a different sales quota and they need to discuss it with you so you'd understand it and sign for your new terms and conditions. Maybe it's that.

Does this mean I have to justify my existence and defend my position every year or am I reading too much into this?! (a bit like Hunger Games for charity shop retail!) But email I got said 'talk about renewing' rather than 'your year is up, please would you sign new contract'
I also have to drive 40 minutes away on my day off next week for this appraisal and signing, which is annoying. They won't ever do it in the shop not even after hours (shop is cramped and has no staff area). The appraisal is never done privately . It used to be three of them, and in a local pub. It's now two of them (plus me) and in a garden centre cafe!

I hope so Leigh. I am on £7.50 an hour as a manager but minimum wage has just gone up which now means I'm only slightly over min wage for all the extra work and responsibility that comes with management. It would be nice for a rise but being a charity shop (and having had some slack months) I really doubt it will happen.

I've been in retail management for over 10 years withhe same employer and never had to renew my contract. However a colleague in another branch recently had an employee whose contract was meant to be reviewed periodically to maintain her as a temporary member of staff, it wasn't done by the acting manager when she was on adoption leave and said employee is now considered permanent.
I'd be concerned that you are on some kind of fixed term contract which will be reviewed then replaced with another fixed term contract.

Being on a fixed term contract doesn't affect your employment rights, which are based on length of service. You would still be entitled to redundancy pay and protection against unfair dismissal after two years, and after four years you automatically become permanent anyway.