Judicial principles and studies
Defense Law: Notification No. (8) on Fixed‑term Employment Contracts
A brief summary of Notification No. (8) issued under Order No. (6) detailing automatic renewal rules for fixed‑term employment contracts, limits on termination, and consequences of employer noncompliance.
Updated: 10 September 2026
Prepared and reviewed by: Ashraf Al-Khawaja
Subject
Notification No. (8), issued under Order No. (6) during the implementation of the Defense Law in response to the COVID‑19 circumstances, provides for automatic renewal of fixed‑term employment contracts for Jordanian workers until the end of the Defense Law or for a duration equal to the last agreed contract—whichever period is longer—subject to conditions set out in the notification.
Summary
- The Defense Law measures and related notifications were adopted for exceptional circumstances and impose restrictions that affect some legal rights and certain Labor Law provisions, including limitations on freedom of contract for some employment agreements. - Notification No. (8) establishes that fixed‑term contracts are automatically renewed repeatedly while the Defense Law remains in effect; however, if the contract’s agreed duration already constitutes the longer period (for example, reaching the statutory maximum of five years), that contractual period prevails and no automatic renewal occurs after it expires despite the Defense Law. - Employers are bound by the automatic‑renewal rule in the notification and may not refrain from renewing except where lawful termination grounds set out in Order No. (6) and its notifications apply. Failure to renew is treated as an unjustified termination entitling the worker to compensation under Article 26 of the Labor Law, and may expose the employer to penalties under clause (11) of Order No. (6). - The general principle of non‑retroactivity of legislation and administrative measures applies unless a text provides otherwise; the referenced cassation decisions in the points illustrate this principle. A change does not apply to employees who began work before its entry into force unless it confers a better advantage under Article 4 of the Labor Law.
Practical significance
- Employers must apply the notification’s automatic‑renewal mechanism for fixed‑term contracts while the Defense Law is active and cannot unilaterally decline renewal except for specified lawful reasons. - Noncompliance gives workers grounds to claim compensation for unlawful termination and may lead to administrative or penal consequences against the employer as provided in the Defense Order. This content is an educational summary and not a judicial text or legal advice.
Sources and references
Verify the official text and latest amendments before relying on this material professionally.