Punitive terms on fixed term contract!

Hi everyone.

I have been offered a 3-month fixed term contract with a company and am a little stunned at the contract that I have been asked to sign.

As I said, it is just for 3 months.
Also, I am being paid through the company's payroll.
Plus the contract states that I am also on probation for 3 months.

My problem is the Notice period: they're asking for a MONTH's notice - on a 3 month job - surely this is an abuse of power - how could I hope to secure a permanent job with another employer who may wish me to start immediately if I am locked into a month's notice??

My questions are: am I in a position to renegotiate this condition?
Is there any legislation that I can quote to strengthen my case?
Or are employers legally free to demand whatever terms they like (even with the obvious imbalance in power that exists)?

Any help/ suggestions/ advice/ kind words would be really appreciated.

Eliza

It is entirely proper for an employer to ask for a month's notice - what makes you think it is not legal? How long is reasonable notice in your book?

The probation part is there in case things are not working out. In reality, you have very few rights until you have worked 12 months, so it is academic anyway.

Do you want the job? Then take it and do the best job you can. by all means apply for other work, but most employers know that 1 month's notice is pretty standard, so will wait that long.

According to [broken link removed].

"Employees who have been in continuous employment for at least 13 weeks are obliged to provide their employer with one week’s notice of termination of employment. If a greater amount of notice is specified in the employee’s contract of employment, then this notice must be given."

Dachshund said:

According to [broken link removed].

"Employees who have been in continuous employment for at least 13 weeks are obliged to provide their employer with one week’s notice of termination of employment. If a greater amount of notice is specified in the employee’s contract of employment, then this notice must be given."

Click to expand...

Under employment law employees with 13 weeks service are only obliged to give one weeks notice. There is no redress under employment law if any employee gives less. if the contract states one month and the employee gives less then the only redress the employer would have would be under contract law......and surely no employer would be bothered going to the trouble of suing an employee under a fxd term contract. The one month notice period is more likely to be a deterriant.

did you take the job?