FTRS CONTRACTS - extensions cut back

If you were considering extending your standard 4 year FTRS contract to 9 as per the norm, you can now forget it. It seems that someone up in the plane-less world of paper had a bit of a panic, realised FTRS was expanding faster than he/she thought and reduced contracts to a max of 5 years including extensions. Effective 01 July though you'd be forgiven for thinking someone was trying to keep it a secret.

Of course, all these people fill positions and these positions still need filling - but I guess they haven't reached that cognitive level yet.

 

[busby1971]

Always thought that FTRS outside the world of reserves should be limited, seemed to be a few guys blocking regular slots even when I was in.

 

[Stevienics]

Well not strictly true as these slots are pre-allocated based upon who is cheaper to run for an expected commitment - and naturally, reserves are cheaper to run. There are also parameters in the Job Description that a service person would struggle to meet.

 

[busby1971]

No rules are ever strictly true, but I would bet a shiney liney pound that there are as many gamed situations as there are necessary ones.

 

[Downsizer]

Yes but at the end of the contract be it 4 years or 5, I've never known them not be be extended again....

 

[muttywhitedog]

Perhaps Busby can confirm from his extensive HR background, but something at the back of my mind is telling me that if you have been continuously employed or had your contract extended beyond 4 years, then you are deemed to be a permanent employee.

 

[muttywhitedog]

Perhaps Busby can confirm from his extensive HR background, but something at the back of my mind is telling me that if you have been continuously employed or had your contract extended beyond 4 years, then you are deemed to be a permanent employee.

 

[busby1971]

Perhaps Busby can confirm from his extensive HR background, but something at the back of my mind is telling me that if you have been continuously employed or had your contract extended beyond 4 years, then you are deemed to be a permanent employee.

Not quite, but after just less than 2 years service you have the same employment rights as anyone else, ie if they want to terminate you then they have to make you redundant and follow a reasonable process with the ACAS code as a minimum, however, I’m guessing this doesn’t quite apply in the military as we are, or were, all on fixed term contracts and there isn’t a lot of case law out there about this or day time TV adverts by ambulance chasing lawyers scooping up aggrieved clients.

There are loads of crew room lawyers in civi street who think that Custom and Practice bring entitlements that just don’t exist, however, if your contract says you work one way and you end up working differently, ie contracted for 16 hours, or on a 0 hour contract, but really work full time, and a judge on a good day decides the organisations reasons for doing so were unfair to the individual then you might have a good day in court. Courts will always side with an employee if they think an employer is being a dikk, always best not to be seen to be a dikk.