1. Get the manifesto for Fixed Term Staff – see www.ucl.ac.uk/unions/UCU/fixedterm Fixed term staff – know your rights UCL Contracts & the Fixed Term Regulations: a guide for members

2. Get the manifesto for Fixed Term Staff – see www.ucl.ac.uk/unions/UCU/fixedterm UCL Contracts Contracts not counted as employment –One-off duty payments possibly could be renewed, similar to self-employed –As and When contracts occasional duties, no conditions on either side Employment contracts (regular duties) –Fixed-term contracts to provide cover or for short-term work up to 9 months –Open-ended (permanent) contracts with grant/project end dates with no restrictions

3. Get the manifesto for Fixed Term Staff – see www.ucl.ac.uk/unions/UCU/fixedterm Employment Contracts Fixed-term contracts for very specific circumstances –to provide (e.g. maternity) cover for an existing employee –to carry out work for a short period of time, duties are unlikely to be renewed Open-ended contracts –with grant/funding end dates for posts where funding/duties is of finite duration –with no forseeable limit standard permanent contract All these contracts come under the Fixed Term Employees Regulations

4. Get the manifesto for Fixed Term Staff – see www.ucl.ac.uk/unions/UCU/fixedterm The Fixed Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002 This law says –Fixed term staff may not be discriminated against –The ending of a fixed term contract is a redundancy –Permanent contracts should be the norm –Staff on successive fixed term contracts should be made permanent unless the fixed term nature of the post can be objectively justified (in each case) +All employers are legally obliged to –Avoid redundancies –Select staff for redundancy fairly This has some important implications...

5. Get the manifesto for Fixed Term Staff – see www.ucl.ac.uk/unions/UCU/fixedterm What does this mean? Equality –UCL must not treat you differently from a permanent member of staff without justification –A new contract is not an excuse for renewed probation New Contracts –You have a right to a contract for the duration of the duties – longer contracts are now 'open ended Research staff will mostly be given these contracts – but some could be made permanent –Where duties are likely to continue for the forseeable future, you should be entitled to an open ended contract without renewable 'end dates Teaching fellows will be given permanent contracts

6. Get the manifesto for Fixed Term Staff – see www.ucl.ac.uk/unions/UCU/fixedterm What does this mean? Redundancy –If your contract or funding is about to end you may apply for redeployment – internally and UCL-wide We are currently negotiating improvements to this process UCL may be able to redeploy you doing something else You should be given 1st choice of new posts if you qualify –You have a right to challenge your redundancy and to trade union representation Previously, staff were often simply shown the door –Your employer is UCL – not your department, research group or funding body –All employers must avoid redundancies and demonstrate that they select individuals fairly

7. Get the manifesto for Fixed Term Staff – see www.ucl.ac.uk/unions/UCU/fixedterm But will anything change? UCL has made some real improvements –Now we have to ensure that good practice is applied across the college This is a major task Fixed term staff have often had few rights in the past There is some way to go –More can be done to make staff permanent UCL should actively plan to avoid redundancy Some staff could be made fully permanent or more secure at minimal cost to UCL We need to challenge end dates in open-ended contracts – are these just fixed term by the back door?