Legal Protection for Fixed-Term Workers in the Drafting of an Employment Agreement
Abstract
Fixed-Term Employment Agreements (Perjanjian Kerja Waktu Tertentu/PKWT) are widely used by companies to flexibly meet labor needs. However, in practice, PKWTs are often drafted with clauses that disadvantage workers, resulting in contractual injustice. This study aims to analyze the forms of government protection for workers under PKWT arrangements and the drafting of fair PKWT clauses. This research employs normative legal research with statutory and conceptual approaches, supported by legal protection theory, contract theory, and justice theory. The findings indicate that government protection is implemented through labor regulations, supervision, and industrial dispute resolution mechanisms. Nevertheless, such protection remains largely passive, as labor offices merely record PKWTs without reviewing the substance of their clauses. Meanwhile, fair PKWT drafting should reflect the principles of balance and good faith, which are often absent in practice. This study concludes that although legal instruments governing PKWT are comprehensive, there remains a significant gap between regulation and implementation. Strengthening supervision and law enforcement is therefore necessary to ensure contractual justice for workers.
References
Amiruddin, M. C. (2024). Oversight on the Execution of Fixed-Term Employment Contracts at the Makassar City Labor Department. Journal of Indonesian Scholars for Social Research, 4(1), 61–72.
Anggraeni, D. M., & Wahjoeono, D. (2025). Implementation Of Specific Time Work Agreement (PKWT) Based on Law No. 6 Annual 2023 About Creating Work: To Workers of PT. Eigerindo Mpi Regional Surabaya. Court Review: Jurnal Penelitian Hukum, 5(06), 119–129.
Ardhie, E. F., & Suwadi, P. (2024). Pacta Sunt Servanda as Legal Certainty in a Fixed-Term Employment Agreement. International Conference on Cultural Policy and Sustainable Development (ICPSD 2024), 112–121.
Arifuddin, A. M. Y. A., Afnina, A., & Shada, S. S. (2025). Legal Protection for Contract Workers in the Perspective of Labor Law. Innovative: Journal of Social Science Research, 5(4), 9017–9031.
Chamdani; Nasution Slamet; Hufron, K. S. (2022). Legal protection for outsourced workers/laborers due to termination of employment during the contract period. Technium Soc. Sci. J., 34, 283.
De la Porte, C., & Emmenegger, P. (2017). The Court of Justice of the European Union and fixed-term work: Putting a brake on labour market dualization? Journal of European Social Policy, 27(3), 295–310.
Deviona, A. A., Sriono, S., & Siahaan, N. (2024). Social Security and Compensation: Analyzing the Protection of Fixed-Term Employment Contract Workers under the Omnibus Law on Job Creation. SIGn Jurnal Hukum, 6(2), 85–96.
Fedryca, M. (2024). Validity of the Collective Agreement in Terminating a Fixed Term Employment Agreement According to Labor Law. Journal of Law, Politic and Humanities, 5(1), 684–689.
García-Pérez, J. I., Marinescu, I., & Vall Castello, J. (2019). Can fixed-term contracts put low skilled youth on a better career path? Evidence from Spain. The Economic Journal, 129(620), 1693–1730.
Geldenhuys, J. (2017). The effect of changing public policy on the automatic termination of fixed-term employment contracts in South Africa. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal/Potchefstroomse Elektroniese Regsblad, 20(1).
Gericke, S. B. (2016). The regulation of successive fixed-term employment in South Africa: lessons to be gleaned from foreign and international law. Journal of South African Law/Tydskrif Vir Die Suid-Afrikaanse Reg, 2016(1), 94–109.
Hanifah, I., & Koto, I. (2025). Legal Protection for Workers with Fixed-Term Employment Agreements Before and After the Job Creation Law. Kosmik Hukum, 25(2), 245–256.
Hoda, A., & Rai, D. K. (2015). Labour regulations and growth of manufacturing and employment in India: Balancing protection and flexibility. Review of Development and Change, 20(2), 105–136.
Horuiko, K., Muzyka, M., & Kokhan, M. (2020). Fixed-Term Employment Contract in the Sphere of Education: The Issues of Legal Regulation.
Huysamen, E. (2019). An overview of fixed-term contracts of employment as a form of A-typical employment in South Africa. Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal (PELJ), 22(1), 1–42.
Joubert, A. M. (2021). A Review of the Protection of Fixed-Term Contract Employees Within South African Labour Law: A Comparative Discussion.
Kamal, M. (2020). Workers Protection with a Fixed-Term Employment Contract System based on the Employment Statutory Regulations. Substantive Justice International Journal of Law, 3(2), 180–195.
Kobroń-Gąsiorowska, Ł. (2022). A fixed-term contract as a threat to the rights of temporary workers. In Jurysprudencja 19. Zatrudnienie tymczasowe jako nietypowa forma świadczenia pracy (pp. 71–79). Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego.
Lewandowski, P., & Magda, I. (2017). Temporary employment, unemployment and employment protection legislation in Poland. Myths of Employment Deregulation: How It Neither Creates Jobs nor Reduces Labour Market Segmentation, 143.
Liana, L., & Yahman, Y. (2024). Legal Protection of Workers with A Specific Time Work Agreement (PKWT) in The Transfer of Outsourcing Companies Following the Enactment of Law No. 6/2023. YURIS: Journal of Court and Justice, 110–122.
Lingga, E., & Siregar, H. (2025). Termination of employment without an official letter: A juridical review of employee protection under the manpower act and the job creation act. Priviet Social Sciences Journal, 5(11), 355–363.
Madia, P. B. M., Bagiastra, I. N., & Purwanto, I. W. N. (2022). Legitimacy Of A Fixed-Term Employment Contract Based On Remote Work Concept From The Perspective of the Job Creation Act. Policy, Law, Notary and Regulatory Issues, 1(4), 65–74.
Marzuki, M. (2017). Penelitian Hukum: Edisi Revisi. Prenada Media.
Nugraha, B. E. C., Arifin, S., & Darmawan, D. (2024). Legal Basis for the Protection of Workers’ Rights and Employment Contracts in the Startup Ecosystem of the Flexible Work Era. Journal of Social Science Studies, 4(1), 43–50.
Sädevirta, M. (2015). Regulation of Fixed-Term Employment Contracts in the EU, France, Finland and the United Kingdom: A Comparative Analysis. International Journal of Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations, 31(2).
Shalihah, F., Megawati, M., Suryadi, S., Zuliyah, S., & Muhammadi, F. (2022). Fixed-time employment agreement based on legal awareness to realize harmonious employment relationship. Substantive Justice International Journal of Law, 5(2), 178–192.
Siregar, D. (2025). Legal Protection in Fixed-Term Employment Contracts: Striking a Balance Between Workers’ Rights and Obligations. Istinbath: Jurnal Hukum, 22(01), 84–106.
Waas, B. (2010). Labour policy and fixed-term employment contracts in Germany. Labour Policy on Fixed-Term Employment Contracts. Tokyo: Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training, 23–41.
Wijayanti, R. (2018). Effectiveness of Legal Protection on Employees/Labours in a Fixed-Term Employment Contract in Golden Tulip Bay View Hotel & Convention-Bali. Jurnal Hukum Prasada, 5(2), 90–99.
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Science and Society
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
.png)
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
1.png)
.jpg)
-modified.png)
-modified.png)
-modified.png)
