Extensions and Fixed-Term Employment

If you hire a technical and administrative staff member in a fixed-term position, it is important to note that there are very limited possibilities for extending the employment.

When assessing whether an employment can be extended, this is based on two different sets of rules, both of which must be met:

• The Job Posting Executive Order
• The Act on Fixed-Term Employment

According to the Job Posting Executive Order, all positions must, as a general rule, be advertised.

However, there is an exception: within the area of technical and administrative staff, you may hire without advertising for holiday cover, temporary replacements, or other short-term employment not exceeding one year.

This exception does not include subsequent extensions.

According to the Act on Fixed-Term Employment, it is not possible to extend the employment of a technical and administrative staff member unless there is an objective reason.

Examples of objective reasons include extensions:

• Due to unforeseen absences such as illness, pregnancy, parental leave, leave of absence, or civic duties
• Following the completion of a time-limited or task-specific assignment
• Necessary for completing, including correcting, an originally defined temporary task

Please note that objective reasons cannot be based on financial considerations.

This means that if the original fixed-term employment was not advertised, the position must be advertised, and there must be an objective reason for extending the employee.

If, in connection with an extension, you change the position to a permanent one, the position must still be advertised, but an objective reason is not required.