After getting a couple of questions around the implementation of the University’s new fixed-term contract policy, the RSA got in touch with HR to find out how it was progressing. The RSA were not invited to directly input in the development of this policy nor are we directly involved with its implementation. Like you, we’d seen job adverts still being advertised as “fixed-term” (despite this being banned strongly discouraged in the policy) and hadn’t seen en masse changes to researchers’ contract type.
Here’s the response we got from Catherine Harrison, Associate Director of HR (Organisational Development).
Transferring of staff from fixed-term to indefinite contracts:
- An update was provided to Unions that a more robust plan for implementation would be shared in April. This was discussed at March CCM [Communication and Consultation Meeting – a meeting between the campus trade unions and the University]. But we then went straight in to lockdown which meant the work was therefore delayed by about 4 weeks – taking us in to May
- A document detailing the implementation plan has now been prepared and shared with the Unions
- There is a meeting with the Unions scheduled in the diary to take place w/c 1st June to discuss the process to be followed
TLDR: The implementation has not started. A meeting is set to discuss the process in the first week of June. Note: the policy was agreed on 4th November 2019 (so it’ll have been 7 months with no formally agreed plan…)
Advertising “fixed-term” roles:
The fixed-term contracts policy explicitly states that “Time-limited funding, in itself, will not be justification to place an individual on a fixed-term contract”. What this really means though isn’t quite as impressive as it sounds. Your contract may not be fixed-term, however, the funding for the post still will be – so you’re still at risk of redundancy when the funding runs out.
Still, we’d expect phrases such as “fixed term appointment for” to be replaced with “current funding available for”. But we’d seen no such changes, this is because:
In terms of ongoing recruitment – the policy doesn’t become ‘live’ until 1st August 2020, so there is no problem or error in advertising contracts on a Fixed Term basis currently however, hiring managers are being reminded to be mindful of the changing policy
TLDR: The policy isn’t live until 01 August 2020 – so hiring managers can still advertise and employ researchers on fixed-term contracts.