Contractual employment is a common practice in the Philippines, especially in industries such as manufacturing, retail, and food service. It refers to an employment arrangement where an employee is hired for a specific period of time or for a certain project, with a predetermined end date.
The length of contractual employment in the Philippines varies depending on the nature of the job, the employer, and the agreement between the employer and the employee. Under Philippine labor law, a fixed-term employment contract must not exceed five years, including renewals.
However, the law also allows for shorter employment contracts, such as those for seasonal work, which can be for a period of less than one year. It is also possible for an employer to offer a probationary period of up to six months, during which time the employee is evaluated for permanent employment.
It is important to note that the Philippine government has been working to regulate contractual employment in recent years, in order to protect the rights of workers. In 2018, the government passed the Security of Tenure Bill, which seeks to end the practice of “endo” or end-of-contract, where employers repeatedly renew short-term contracts instead of hiring employees on a permanent basis.
Under the Security of Tenure Bill, employers are required to provide regular employment to workers who have been employed on a contractual basis for six months or more. This means that after six months of employment, employers must evaluate the performance of their employees and offer permanent employment contracts to those who meet the standards.
In conclusion, the length of contractual employment in the Philippines varies depending on various factors, but fixed-term contracts must not exceed five years under Philippine labor law. The government’s efforts to regulate contractual employment through the Security of Tenure Bill aim to provide more job security for workers, and employers should be accountable for evaluating their employees’ performance and offering permanent employment contracts accordingly.