I've had a job for 5 years with a permanent contract and my boss is pressuring me to convert it to a temporary one. Does he have the right to do that? What protections do I have as an employee with a permanent contract?
Your indefinite contract is practically untouchable by your employer's initiative without justified cause. The law protects you pretty well here: your boss can't just decide to convert you to temporary work because they feel like it. If they tried without a legitimate reason (like a serious company restructuring, economic, organizational or technical causes properly documented), we'd be talking about wrongful dismissal. And that gives you the right to claim damages, compensation and reinstatement if you request it.
What could happen is that the company goes through real economic difficulties and wants to negotiate changes to your working conditions, but that would require your agreement and can't be one-sided. If they pressure you without serious grounds, you have the right to refuse and keep your contract as is. I'd advise you to document those pressures (emails, conversations with witnesses) just in case things get ugly.
My recommendation is that you talk to an employment lawyer or get in touch with your union if there is one at your company. They'll tell you exactly what legal room your boss has according to your company's specific situation and they'll help you if you need to defend yourself. Don't let them intimidate you: the law is pretty much on your side with an indefinite contract.
Your boss can't just change your indefinite contract to a fixed-term one; that would violate your labor rights. An indefinite contract is exactly that - indefinite - and can only be terminated for just cause (disciplinary dismissal, company closure, etc.) or if you agree to change the terms, but without any pressure involved.
What you need to do is document that pressure (chats, emails, whatever you have) and consult with an employment lawyer or your union if you're a member, because what your boss is asking you to do is illegal. The protections you have are pretty strong precisely because indefinite contracts exist for that reason - so they can't throw you out on the street overnight without a real reason.
I've seen this same thing happen with people close to me, and while what they're telling you above is on the right track, I want to clarify something important: your permanent contract isn't literally "untouchable" because there are legal ways to end an indefinite employment relationship. What your boss can't do is convert it to temporary out of whim or pressure. That would be a unilateral change to your working conditions, and Spanish law is pretty clear on this: substantial changes to a contract require your express consent.
The real protection comes from the fact that your boss can only fire you for just cause (dismissal for serious misconduct or objective dismissal for economic, technical, organizational, or production reasons). If they try to pressure you into switching to temporary and then fire you arguing that "it's easier that way," that smells like retaliation or legal fraud. In that case you'd have the right to compensation for wrongful dismissal. My recommendation: document that pressure in writing if you can (an email confirming what they told you is gold), and if things move forward, talk to an employment lawyer or unions. Don't let yourself be pressured, because technically you have every right to keep your permanent contract as long as there's no legal cause to fire you.
What you need to do is document everything your boss is asking you for in messages or emails because that's your best legal defense! The people above are right that your indefinite contract is protected, but the reality is that your employer can end the employment relationship for "just cause" (disciplinary dismissal) or without cause by paying you the corresponding severance according to your country's law; what they CAN'T do is simply change the contract terms without your consent and without valid cause. If they're pressuring you verbally, that could be considered workplace harassment depending on where you live, so before you do anything consult with an employment lawyer or go to your local labor office so they can advise you on your specific rights!
It depends on which country you're in - there are important legal nuances. In many places across Latin America, your indefinite contract can only be terminated for just cause (disciplinary dismissal, company closure, etc.) or by mutual agreement, but your boss can't unilaterally convert it to a temporary contract without your consent. If they're pressuring you, that probably amounts to workplace harassment, which is also regulated, so besides keeping all evidence of those messages and conversations, consult with a labor lawyer or your union (if you have one) in your specific jurisdiction, because some details vary quite a bit depending on where you work.
Don't sign anything your boss presents to you without having a labor lawyer look it over first, even if it's just a quick consultation. What works in these cases is keeping a clear record of everything: when they ask you, how they ask you, and if it's by email that's even better because it's all documented. And if they ever try anything more aggressive - threats, unilateral changes - that becomes your golden evidence if it comes down to a wrongful termination lawsuit.
Don't sign anything your boss offers you without reading it carefully or, better yet, having a labor lawyer look it over 🚨 What others don't mention is that even though your permanent contract is super protected by law, if you voluntarily agree to change contract types (even under pressure), you lose a lot of that protection, so the real risk here isn't that they'll force you to change it, but that you'll end up signing something without realizing what it means. The constant pressure from your boss is also relevant: document everything in emails or messages because if this goes to court, proof that he was harassing you to sign is pure gold. If he keeps pushing, contact a union or free legal advice service; many autonomous communities offer this and they'll clear things up for you in no time 💪
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