Reform of the WissZeitVG - an important legal framework for Postdocs
Have you heard about the Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act (WissZeitVG)?
The WissZeitVG — a german bill with the long name "Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz" — sets the legal framework for fixed-term employment in academia. Many early-career researchers are employed under contracts regulated by this law, making it crucial to understand its implications for your career.
Since its introduction in 2007, the WissZeitVG has been revised several times. The most recent proposed reform in March 2024 sparked significant debate. On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, the latest reform proposal was discussed during its first reading (1. Lesung) in the German Parliament (Deutscher Bundestag) and then referred to a parliamentary committee for further review.
To learn more, you can read the official statement from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research [here] and find detailed summaries of the bill and the 2024 reform debate by the German Scholars Organization e.V. (GSO) [here] and the Leibniz PostDoc Network [here].
If you are a postdoc with a limited contract, then we strongly advise you to read into this bill, find out if you have a contract under the WissZeitVG and identify possible consequences for your career. Your career center or HR should be able to answer resulting questions.
We will keep you updated on the progress of the reform and the ongoing debate surrounding it.
