From 6 December 2023, employers can no longer employ an employee on a fixed-term contract that:

• is for 2 or more years (including extensions)

• may be extended more than once, or

• is a new contract:
  • that is for the same or a substantially similar role as previous contracts
  • with substantial continuity of the employment relationship between the end of the previous contract and the new contract, and either
  • the total period of the contracts is 2 or more years,
    • the new contract can be renewed or extended, or
    • a previous contract was extended. The changes were introduced as part of the Pay secrecy, job ads and flexible work amendments. See the Fair Work Ombudsman’s website for more details.