It is getting to be that time of year again when the weather starts to get colder and we look ahead to Christmas. In addition to the annual office party, in the run up to the Christmas season, many employers take on extra staff to cope with the increased demand they see in their business. By taking on this extra staff, employers hope that it will help their business run more smoothly during this busy time.

Although fixed-term employees can be of great benefit to your business, taking on fixed-term employees can also create a whole series of problems. Issues will arise when your permanent employees are treated more favourably than temporary staff.

In general, employers must not treat fixed-term employees less favourably than permanent employees doing the same, or largely the same, job. This means that fixed-term employees have the right (except where there's good reason) to:

• The same pay and conditions
• The same or equivalent benefits package
• Access to an occupational (company) pension scheme (except where the fixed-term contract is for a short period of time)
• The right to be informed about permanent employment opportunities in the organisation

In instances where fixed-term employees are treated less favourably than their permanent counterparts, it can lead to costly appearances before employment tribunals. The most effective way to avoid the conflicts that can arise, is to set out your policies in a fixed-term employment agreement.

This month we have released a new document, the Fixed-term employment agreement to assist employers when taking on employees for a fixed term of three months or less. This could be due to taking on extra staff during the Christmas season, or for a whole number of other reasons, including covering staff whilst on maternity leave or taking on a specialist employee to assist with a specific project or venture. The agreement has been specifically designed to deal with the issues that can arise with temporary or fixed-term employees.

Also covered in this October bulletin is the following:

• An article about Working Time Regulations, featuring our new document, "Letter opting out of the working time directive"
• A report on facing the music, which shows how businesses who play loud music on their premises may find that more than just their eardrums are at risk.