Fixed Term Contract.........for 5 weeks?

[Zootsuit]

I got to the end of a 6 month part time contract a month ago and, as seems routine, nothing was said about termination or continuation and my employment just carried on.

I just received a new contract which runs from the end of my first one and expires in a few days - it's five weeks long in total. The end date apparently reflects the expectation that the need for my services is likely to come to an end 'on or about the expiry date due to business reorganisation'. As I have to be given two weeks notice and I have holiday time in the bank I suppose I will have a job for at least the next couple of weeks, even if some of it would be on 'gardening leave'.

It says that although the stated date is when I will likely no longer be needed it could be sooner or later, I guess it has to be later now as the end date is in a few days.
This is the question though, does this mean that I am now effectively working on a 2 weeks notice to quit basis?

Interested in the views of those with more experience than me, do I look like someone being given the bum's rush or do you think they are keeping their options open and me on a (very) short string?

[PhilthyPhil]

The same thing happened to a few FTC guys in my office. By the time their new contract came through they only had a few days left on them I think it is just a case of they know a lot of jobs are going to go because of revisions so they want to keep people on as short a contract as possible. I would speak to your DOM about it. I don't think DOMs/DSMs have a great deal of control over what contracts HR will issue as ours never seem to get what they ask for.

[Sliders]

The same thing happened to a few FTC guys in my office. By the time their new contract came through they only had a few days left on them I think it is just a case of they know a lot of jobs are going to go because of revisions so they want to keep people on as short a contract as possible. I would speak to your DOM about it. I don't think DOMs/DSMs have a great deal of control over what contracts HR will issue as ours never seem to get what they ask for.

Yes thats what they tell you, believe me your DOM has total control over who goes and what contracts are given.

[PhilthyPhil]

Perhaps more senior DOMs in bigger offices have more say, but not in our little office. It has been the case in our office that DOM and DSM have agreed to increase contracted hours or extend contracts and this has been refused at regional level and we have seen emails etc from regional managers not just taking the DOMs word for it.

[Zootsuit]

Looks like it's an interim thing, there is going to be a 3 month contract now that runs from the end of the initial 6 month contract. I don't understand why the contracting is done this way, there is a two week notice period anyway so I guess they could release you when they felt like it no matter how long the term signed up for.
I don't know what it costs to keep renewing these part time contracts but surely it would be more efficient to retain people on longer contracts and renew them less often? If nothing else it would let people feel a bit more settled, few if any part timers in our office seem to understand what is going on or where they stand (perhaps that's done on purpose!!?)

Back in my box, I'll go with the flow and not think about it too much, there must be a method in the madness...........................musn't there?