Befristet Beschäftigte: Gut positioniert mit Hoffnung auf Anschluss (Employed for a limited period of time: A good position, with the possibility of being taken on)

The proportion of temporary jobs in the total employment at establishments in the Federal Republic of Germany rose by 65 per cent between 1996 and 2006 from under 4 to over 6 per cent. In the eastern part of Germany the proportion of temporary jobs equalled 9, in the western part of Germany 6 per cent. This paper offers an overview of the conditions of temporary new recruitment according to the size of company and specific branches and also of the likelihood of being taken on permanently after a fixed-term contract has expired, taking into consideration especially the 'extremely poled' protection against unlawful dismissal. The author comes to the conclusion that temporary jobs in the manufacturing industry, and in the service sector closely related to manufacturing, often offer the perspective of being taken on permanently in a normal job. In the areas of the social economy, the social services, public administration and non-profit-making establishments, which account for roughly two-thirds of recruitment, fixed-term contracts are the norm. However staff are relatively seldom taken on after fixed-term contracts have expired; dismissal after the end of fixed-term contracts on the other hand is the usual 'means of getting rid of staff'. According to the author, establishments that have an excess of fixed-term contracts do not constitute good role models of personnel policy. He also draws attention to the fact that the existence of protection against unlawful dismissal does not represent a barrier to flexibility for most of the establishments in Germany and that evasion strategies to fixed-term contracts are not necessary. In his view, fixed-term working contracts are an expression of the situation on the labour market and the negotiation position of employees in relation to this. (IAB)