Phase system

1.1 Phase A

You are in phase A if you have not yet worked 78 weeks for your temporary employment company. An exception applies if you’ve reached retirement age: in that case, you are in phase A as long as you have not yet worked 130 weeks for your temporary employment company. Each week in which you have worked counts for the accrual of phase A. The number of hours worked in a week is irrelevant. At this stage, you may have an unlimited number of consecutive temporary employment contracts. It doesn’t matter for how many different Commissioning Parties you work.

If you do not work for the same temporary employment company 26 consecutive weeks or more, the count of the 78 weeks worked starts again. In the event of an interruption between two temporary employment contracts of 25 weeks or less, your weeks worked remain valid and, after the interruption of temporary employment, you will continue where you left.

1.2 Phase B

Phase B starts if you continue to work for the same temporary employment company after the completion of phase A, or if, within 26 weeks after the end of phase A, you are posted again.

Phase B lasts up to two years or eight contracts. This means that, at this stage, a maximum of eight posting agreements may be closed consecutively. For the ninth contract or if you work longer than two years in phase B, you automatically go to phase C. In phase B, the temporary employment clause may no longer be included in a posting agreement, and you will be employed based on a fixed term contract or an indefinite posting agreement. The duration of the posting agreements may be determined by the temporary employment company itself, but the total duration in phase B cannot be longer than two years.

1.3 Phase C

Phase C starts if you keep working at the same temporary employment company immediately upon completion of phase B or if you are posted again within thirteen weeks upon completion of phase B by the same temporary employment company. The duration of the posting agreement in phase C is indefinite.

If after termination of your posting agreement in phase C you have not worked for your temporary employment company for 26 weeks or less, you will fall back to the beginning of phase B. If you have not worked for your temporary employment company for 26 weeks or more, you will fall back to the beginning of phase A.

You can find more information on the phase system on the website of ABU.