3 ms·

Contract work is a lot more common in Europe for a reason

solardev 2y ago
I don't think I ever realized that's why there are so many discussions of "employment contracts" here on HN (which has a heavy European population, from what I can see). In my entire adult working life in the US, I've never once had an employment contract (and still have never seen one or heard of anyone else with one, either).
- mardifoufs 2y ago
  Yeah,contract work in north america is more reserved for very specific situations (for example, you need expertise in some very niche system) and even then that's pretty rare outside of consultants. In Europe it's everywhere. When I was in France it was quite jarring and imo, it seems like it would be more stressful than at will employment as it's basically a yearly stress (as opposed to stress only when the economy is bad for example). But I think some European countries have some protections for contractors too, I just don't know if those apply to when your contract just doesn't get renewed.
- btasker 2y ago
  Having an employment contract is more common over here, but that's not the same as what we'd call being a contractor. As a full-time employee of the company you're working for (i.e. not simply contracted in), you still have an employment contract (it's a right/required) which'll lay out the employment expectations (salary, hours per week, whether you can be required to work additional hours etc). We do also have contractors - i.e. those who work for an external company who are brought in for a specific project (or to provide easy-to-get-rid-of headcount). In my experience, working as a contractor isn't all that much more common than in the US. But people having some form of contract is, because basically all employees have one.
  - mardifoufs 2y ago
    Does this mean employees have to renew the contracts? As in, if the employer doesn't renew the contract, does it count as getting fired? Also maybe it's regional, I know that in France contractors are very common but I might have outdated data!

I don't think I ever realized that's why there are so many discussions of "employment contracts" here on HN (which has a heavy European population, from what I can see). In my entire adult working life in the US, I've never once had an employment contract (and still have never seen one or heard of anyone else with one, either).

mardifoufs 2y ago
Yeah,contract work in north america is more reserved for very specific situations (for example, you need expertise in some very niche system) and even then that's pretty rare outside of consultants. In Europe it's everywhere. When I was in France it was quite jarring and imo, it seems like it would be more stressful than at will employment as it's basically a yearly stress (as opposed to stress only when the economy is bad for example). But I think some European countries have some protections for contractors too, I just don't know if those apply to when your contract just doesn't get renewed.
btasker 2y ago
Having an employment contract is more common over here, but that's not the same as what we'd call being a contractor. As a full-time employee of the company you're working for (i.e. not simply contracted in), you still have an employment contract (it's a right/required) which'll lay out the employment expectations (salary, hours per week, whether you can be required to work additional hours etc). We do also have contractors - i.e. those who work for an external company who are brought in for a specific project (or to provide easy-to-get-rid-of headcount). In my experience, working as a contractor isn't all that much more common than in the US. But people having some form of contract is, because basically all employees have one.
- mardifoufs 2y ago
  Does this mean employees have to renew the contracts? As in, if the employer doesn't renew the contract, does it count as getting fired? Also maybe it's regional, I know that in France contractors are very common but I might have outdated data!