Forms of employment

Forms of employment

The university has various forms of employment. Below, you can read about how they affect you as an employee and about aspects such as maximum contract terms, function-based contracts and how long a temporary contract term is.

Employment contract

Since 1 January 2020, all university staff have been employed under an employment contract. On commencement of employment, an employment contract containing at minimum the information as laid down in Article 2.1, paragraph 2 of the collective labour agreement (CAO) is drawn up.

Function-based contract

Performance-based contracts are based on performance rather than time, allowing employees to organise their time and work more easily. You are responsible for managing your own working hours, break times and holidays. The most important rule is that your performance must satisfy the agreements made with your supervisor. As of 1 January 2024, the university may only conclude performance-based contracts with academic staff and with support and management staff from salary scale 11 upwards. More details can be found in Article 4.5 of the CAO.

No obligation

You are not obliged to conclude a function-based contract with the university – both parties have to agree in order to do so. If you conclude a function-based contract when starting employment, you may cancel it within three months without stating a reason.

Contract term and extension of temporary employment contracts

The maximum term for temporary employment contracts depends on the position, as does the number of times they may be extended. Depending on your job category, the following applies:

• Academic staff in the position of assistant professor, associate professor or professor: The starting point is a maximum temporary duration of 18 months (new hires) or 12 months (current staff). Deviation from this maximum duration is allowed (pursuant to Article 2.2a(5)) if there is a Tenure Track (as referred to in Article 6.6). In that case, one contract for a (much) longer duration is possible.
• Other academic staff: the total duration (including any successive contracts) may not exceed three years. For certain positions and duties a total maximum duration of four years applies. These exceptions are found in Article 2.3.5 of the CAO. The university may not extend a temporary employment contract with a new temporary contract more than twice.
• Support and management staff: the total temporary duration is a maximum of one year. For certain positions and duties a total maximum duration of three or four years applies. These exceptions are found in Article 2.3.7 of the CAO. The university may not extend a temporary employment contract with a new temporary contract more than twice.
• Doctoral students: contracts are always temporary, for the anticipated length of the degree programme. In principle, this is four years in the event of a full-time working week. In the event of a part-time appointment, an adjusted duration is the obvious option. When commencing employment, the university may conclude an 18-month temporary contract once only in order to evaluate your suitability for the position. For doctoral students, no maximum applies to either the number of successive temporary contracts or the duration of any contract. At the request of doctoral students, employment contracts will be extended by the duration of the maternity leave, post-maternity leave, (additional) birth leave and parental leave taken during the doctoral process.
• Student assistants: always a temporary employment contract during the degree programme. No maximum applies to either the number of successive temporary contracts or the duration of any contract for student assistants.
• Employees who have reached their retirement age and are entitled to an old-age pension: after an employee reaches the state pension age, the university may extend a temporary employment contract no more than six times within a period of no longer than four years.

Extension in special circumstances

If you perform well and your contract is to be extended, you may be offered a permanent employment contract. If it is not possible to assess your performance – due to illness, maternity leave, post-maternity leave or an occupational disability – your temporary employment may be extended once for a maximum of 12 months. If you are performing work that is similar work to what you did for your previous employer and it is not possible to assess your performance with your current employer, your employment may be extended for 12 months.