Fixed Term Contracts in Higher Education

[MadameGazelle]

Hi, I'm in the process of applying for a job within higher education which is fixed term for 12 months (no mention of maternity cover), I can't speak to the department to find out any more about the job until after the closing date and was wondering if anyone recruited within higher education and could explain why a role could be fixed term if not maternity cover (I wondered if it might be a funding issue) and if fixed term roles are usually renewed? TIA

The funding for further ed is changing as the Learning and Skills Council has now been disbanded. There will be a transitional period while the new agencies are established and funding reviewed and atm this appears to mean maintaining the status quo. The election may well have an effect on this too. I think you'll find many education jobs especially non-college based, are on fixed term contracts depending on their funding source. Whether they get renewed depends on how successful the projects and the funders are, and what is available for renegotiation the next year.

They just are

As LIZS said, lots of them come from short term funding, where you're given a one or two year grant for a particular project, say. They may or may not be renewed depending on the sort of project and funding - I've been on a series of short-term contracts for most of the last 8 years. If the specific project doesn't continue, you may be able to shuffle silently onto another related project, or you may have to interview for a new but vaguely related job at the same institution, or you may be unemployed.

However, after a certain amount of time on a short-term contract (3 years?), it turns into a permanent contract.

Agree the reason is short term funding (although I'd always specify that on the advert). And I think after three years or a short term contract being renewed twice, it becomes "permanent", but that simply means you will be made redundant if the group you're working for fails to get any new funding, and there are no appropriate similar vacancies. Although HE redundancy packages tend to be better than some.

Many contracts in higher ed are short term. And in many cases the employers ditch them after 3 years so as not to have to hire someone permanently. They can then re-hire someone subtly different. There are also some other rather dodgy get-out clauses to get around the legislation.

It should be illegal but it isn't. In fact, the 3 year rule was introduced to avoid the old practice of people being on short term contracts forever (or, for 25 years before suddenly not getting the contract renewed for no reason). Unfortunately it doesn't work.

I'm in the arts (and biting my nails on a three-year contract). A lot of one-year posts come up to cover people's research leave -- sometimes as a result of winning funding for a limited project from another body, but most often to cover their standard sabbatical entitlement.

A lot of dodgy things happen though, and September-June contracts which sidestep paying people for the summer are particularly distasteful in my experience. I love my work but find the circumstances very stressful.

Sorry, to answer the OP better -- it would not be renewed unless that person resigns or stays away from their post on unpaid leave for some reason. Pretty much everyone I know who has gone on research leave has wanted (needed!) their job back.

It usually depends on the nature and level of the position and funding source. Research fellows are for example usually temporary as they are usually externally funded, teaching fellows are also usually temporary as these are often funded when a permanent member of staff has obtained funding to "buy themselves out" of their teaching commitments for a certain amount of time.

Academic positions funded directly from HEFCE are more often permanent, though often with a probationary period.

I'm currently on a two-year contract (funded by the AHRC) as a Research Associate. In my case, it was made clear that the post was never going to be renewed because it was paid for from funding attached to a specific project - when the project ends, so does the funding. In my university, they have to make some attempt to redeploy you or else give you redundancy pay if your contract is longer than two years. (I miss out on this by one day )

As some have noticed, this is just a fact of academic life, especially in research or in other specialised posts. That doesn't make it any easier, though! I'm trying to be positive by seeing my enforced unemployment as an opportunity finally to have children (we're expecting our first child a couple of months after my contract ends). But the downside of this is that I won't get any maternity pay or have a job to go back to afterwards...

Grumperina yes you should have maternity pay? Please check this. Am I right in thinking you finish, for example, say in June and are having a baby in August?

In that case firstly you can claim maternity allowance if nothing else - £120 ish a week for 9 months but certainly better than nothing.

However if you work for your employer during a certain period - usually when you are around 26 - 30 weeks pregnant (qualifying period) then you should get maternity pay from them even though you are no longer contracted by them. The amount depends on how long you worked for them - if you were in the job before you got pregnant then you should get the SMP amount - 6 weeks at 90% then the basic rate. Alternatively some employers state that if you have been there a year when you give birth (or whatever) then you get more (unis are often quite good).

With my first baby my contract ended in June and I gave birth in July. However as I worked during the qualifying period they had to pay me maternity pay.

Check it out if you havent!

Thanks for your reply, peppa, which is very helpful. It's good to know that there are other people in the same situation! What happened after the birth of your first baby, if you don't mind my asking?

I know that I would be entitled to MP if I gave birth before the end of my contract - at least until the end of my contract. But we've deliberately held off even trying for children until the end of my contract was in sight as I felt it was unfair to spend some of a short research contract on maternity leave (being entitled to something and feeling that it is reasonable to take up that entitlement are two different things).

Yes, you are right in thinking that I finish a couple of months before I have the baby. I was expecting to work until the end of my contract and then not receive anything until the birth, at which point I would get MA. I certainly didn't think I was entitled to receive any maternity pay from them after the termination of my contract! (Is that what you're saying, or have I misconstrued it?) However, as a) I was in the contract for nearly 18 months before getting pregnant; b) I expect to be in post while 26-30 weeks pregnant (just about - they're already trying to extend the contract by 2 months...) then I will certainly check out what I'm entitled to.

Apologies for hijacking this thread with my own problems!

Yes you are entitled after your contract has ended as long as you worked during the qualifying period which is around 26 - 30 weeks (approximately!). As you were in it 18 months before you might be entitled to their proper mat pay package - for us it is 8 weeks full pay, 31 weeks half pay + smp - I would guess all universities would be similar? Check this out - I am 99% sure however you would be eligible for the SMP part.

This is what happened to me - and a friend who was temping (not academia) but her contract ran out at 7 months pregnant. Its the qualifying part which is important.

You could technically go on maternity leave at the end of your contract and start your mat pay then (as long as you are at least 29 weeks pregnant when your contract ends).

Speak to personnel - how pregnant are you at the moment? Have you officially informed them?

After I had DS - how long have you got . I was on a short term hourly paid contract - I simply came back for February teaching but it was a 'new' contract due to the short term ness of it. As I was on maternity pay I was seen as employed throughout my mat leave so I could claim tax credits etc - otherwise I would have not been employed during the June - October period.

I then moved from short term contract to contract and have been on one now for a while which will soon become permanent.