ES · Expiry & renewal tracking
Track the end of each agency assignment contract
A Spanish agency assignment contract lasts as long as the equivalent fixed-term contract under Article 15 of the Workers' Statute: six months for production circumstances, extendable to one year by sector agreement (Article 7.1 of Law 14/1994). A worker who stays on becomes permanent at the user company.
The assignment contract (contrato de puesta a disposición) is concluded between the temporary work agency and the user company to assign a worker, who is placed under the user company's direction (Article 6.1 of Law 14/1994). It may only be concluded in the same cases and under the same conditions in which the user company could conclude a fixed-term contract under Article 15 of the Workers' Statute (ET), or a training contract under its Article 11 (Article 6.2). Its duration follows those same articles (Article 7.1).
For production circumstances, the contract may not exceed six months; a sector collective agreement can extend this to one year. If agreed for less, it can be extended once without exceeding the maximum. For occasional, foreseeable situations, the company may use this contract for only ninety days per calendar year, which may not be used continuously (Article 15.2 ET). In addition, a person who within twenty-four months has been employed for more than eighteen under two or more production-circumstance contracts, including through an agency, becomes a permanent employee (Article 15.5 ET).
The contract is made in writing and states, among other things, the legal ground with the specific reason for it and the expected duration (Article 6.3 of the Law; Article 15.1 of Royal Decree 417/2015). If the worker keeps working at the user company after the period ends, they are deemed to be employed by it on a permanent contract (Article 7.2 of the Law).
At a glance
| Ground (Article 15 ET) | Limit |
|---|---|
| Production circumstances: occasional, unforeseeable increase or fluctuations | Six months; up to one year by sector collective agreement (15.2) |
| Production circumstances: occasional, foreseeable situations | Ninety days per calendar year, not continuous; 120 in agriculture and agri-food (15.2) |
| Replacing an employee entitled to keep their job | The contract names the person replaced and the reason; may start up to fifteen days before the absence (15.3) |
| Cover during a selection or promotion process | Three months or the shorter period in the collective agreement (15.3) |
Article 15 of the Workers' Statute, applied by Article 7.1 of Law 14/1994. If the worker stays at the user company after the period ends, they become a permanent employee there (Article 7.2).
Who is responsible?
The temporary work agency and the user company sign the contract in writing (Article 6.3 of Law 14/1994). The user company informs the workers' representatives of each contract and its reason within ten days of signing (Article 9). Assignment contracts may not be used to replace striking workers, for especially dangerous work under the terms of the law, for posts cut in the previous twelve months for the reasons in Article 8.c, or to assign workers to other agencies (Article 8).
If the deadline passes
If the worker keeps working at the user company after the assignment period ends, they are deemed to be employed by it on a permanent contract (Article 7.2 of Law 14/1994). Concluding assignment contracts for grounds other than those in Article 6.2 is a serious offence by both the agency and the user company, one per person affected (Articles 18.2.c and 19.2.b of the Social Order Offences and Penalties Act, LISOS).
Successive contracts count too
The eighteen-in-twenty-four-months limit in Article 15.5 ET includes assignment contracts. A person filling a post that has been filled for more than eighteen months in twenty-four through production-circumstance contracts, including agency contracts, also becomes permanent.
Tracking it with ExpirySuite
- Add a record for each assigned worker and user company with the end date set in the assignment contract.
- Email reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before and on the day itself. That leaves time to decide whether the assignment ends, is extended within the maximum, or the worker is hired directly.
- If you want to watch the eighteen-in-twenty-four-months limit, add a second record with that date.
- Assign a responsible person at the agency or user company; emails arrive in each recipient's language. If a date passes, managers get further reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later.
Frequently asked questions
- How long can a Spanish assignment contract last?
- As long as the equivalent fixed-term contract: for production circumstances, six months, extendable to one year by sector agreement (Article 7.1 of Law 14/1994; Article 15.2 ET).
- Can it be extended?
- If agreed for less than the maximum, it can be extended once without exceeding the maximum duration (Article 15.2 ET).
- What if the worker stays on after the end date?
- They are deemed employed by the user company on a permanent contract (Article 7.2 of Law 14/1994).
- Can the user company hire the worker afterwards?
- Yes. Any clause prohibiting the user company from hiring the worker when the assignment ends is void (Article 7.3).
Sources
- Ley 14/1994, por la que se regulan las empresas de trabajo temporal, artículos 6, 7, 8 y 9 (BOE, texto consolidado)
- Real Decreto Legislativo 2/2015, texto refundido de la Ley del Estatuto de los Trabajadores, artículo 15 (BOE, texto consolidado)
- Real Decreto 417/2015, Reglamento de las empresas de trabajo temporal, artículo 15 (BOE, texto consolidado)
- Real Decreto Legislativo 5/2000, Ley sobre Infracciones y Sanciones en el Orden Social (LISOS), artículos 18 y 19 (BOE, texto consolidado)
Last checked: Oct 1, 2026 · This page summarises official sources for general information and is not legal advice. Check the linked sources for current rules and fees.
Made for assignment contract end (ETT) (Spain)
A ready template for assignment contract end (ETT) (Spain) with sensible validity defaults, so you enter less and track more.
Reminders on time
Email alerts at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before each assignment contract end (ETT) (Spain) expires, plus overdue escalation to managers.
Assign an owner
Give each assignment contract end (ETT) (Spain) an owner and let employees update their own via a secure link — no login needed.