Employment Contract Template for Seasonal Workers (UK 2025)

When You Need This Contract

Seasonal employment contracts cover workers hired for predictable busy periods such as Christmas retail, summer hospitality, harvest periods, and holiday season tourism. The contract must address the fixed-term nature of the seasonal role, pro-rata holiday entitlements for short engagements, the possibility of re-engagement for future seasons, and whether continuous service is preserved between seasonal engagements. Clarity about the seasonal end date and any possibility of extension prevents misunderstandings.

Key Clauses

• Fixed-term seasonal period with clear start and end dates
• Pro-rata holiday entitlement calculation for the seasonal period
• Re-engagement provisions for future seasons without continuity commitment
• Training requirements completed within the seasonal period
• Early termination provisions for both parties

What to Watch Out For

• Not calculating pro-rata holiday entitlement correctly for the seasonal period, leading to underpayment of accrued holiday on departure
• Creating an implied continuity of employment through repeated seasonal engagements without a clear break between seasons

Sample Clauses

• Sample seasonal clause: 'This is a seasonal employment contract for the period [date] to [date]. There is no guarantee of employment beyond this period. The Company may offer re-engagement for future seasonal periods at its discretion, but each engagement is treated as a separate period of employment.'
• Sample holiday clause: 'Your holiday entitlement for this seasonal period is [X] days, calculated pro-rata from the statutory annual entitlement of 28 days including bank holidays. Untaken holiday will be paid on termination as part of your final pay.'