New Fixed Term Contract Information Statement 2025: What Employers Need to Know

Fixed Term Contract Information Statement

From 1 November 2025, employers are required to provide a new Fixed Term Contract Information Statement (FTCIS) to any employee engaged under a fixed term contract.

This new obligation, introduced by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO), complements the existing requirement to provide the Fair Work Information Statement (FWIS) to all new employees.

The FTCIS explains employees’ rights and the legal limits around the use of fixed term contracts under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and has been updated to reflect changes to the additional fixed term contract exceptions.

These changes form part of the ongoing Secure Jobs, Better Pay reforms, which aim to reduce job insecurity and restrict rolling fixed term arrangements.

Employers must act quickly to understand their obligations and ensure that both their documentation and HR processes are up to date.

What Employers Need To Know

Employers must provide both the Fair Work Information Statement and the new Fixed Term Contract Information Statement to any new employee engaged on a fixed term basis. These are available on the Fair Work Ombudsman website.

Employers should review their employment contract templates, onboarding checklists, and HR processes immediately to ensure compliance.

Engaging a specialist Employment Lawyer can help avoid penalties, ensure your documentation is compliant, and provide peace of mind.

What are the risks of not complying with this change?

Employers who fail to provide the FTCIS or who engage staff under non-compliant fixed term contracts risk breaching the Fair Work Act.

This can expose the business to civil penalties and enforcement action by the Fair Work Ombudsman or an employee.

In some cases, employees on invalid fixed term contracts may be deemed to have ongoing employment, with entitlement to redundancy pay, unfair dismissal rights, and other ongoing employee benefits.

Failure to comply can also attract significant reputational and financial risk — particularly if a pattern of non-compliance is identified during an audit or dispute.

Why is the Fixed Term Contract Information Sheet being Introduced?

The Fair Work Ombudsman has introduced the FTCIS to ensure employees understand their rights under fixed term contracts — particularly the limits on how long they can be employed on a fixed term basis, and when extensions or renewals may be unlawful.

Under the Fair Work Act, fixed term contracts generally cannot exceed two years (including extensions) and cannot be renewed more than once for the same role. Employers who continue to roll over fixed term contracts may inadvertently convert those workers to permanent employees.

Employers should ensure they:

• Provide the FTCIS to all new fixed term employees when their contract is issued;
• Review all active fixed term contracts for compliance with the new rules;
• Train HR and management staff on the new requirements; and
• Seek legal advice before renewing or extending any fixed term arrangement.

How Engaging a Specialist Employment Lawyer can help

The new Fixed Term Contract Information Statement marks an important change in employer obligations under the Fair Work Act.

Employers must provide this document to all fixed term employees and ensure that their employment contracts and practices comply with the new restrictions.

Taking proactive steps now — with advice from an experienced Employment Lawyer — will help safeguard your business from avoidable penalties and disputes.

Our Employment Law team can assist with:

• Reviewing and updating fixed term employment contract templates;
• Preparing compliant onboarding procedures and checklists;
• Advising on the lawful use of fixed term contracts under the Fair Work Act;
• Providing training to HR and management teams on their new obligations; and
• Representing employers in Fair Work Ombudsman audits, investigations, or disputes.