QUESTION: contract blues

[Jacqueline Fry <jfry -at- ARRAY -dot- CA>]

Hi.

Here's the details of my problem. I am on contract here, filling in for a
lady on maternity leave. We're not sure if she's coming back at all. She has
until early April to decide (apparently this is a "legal" thing. She went on
leave in late July '97. BTW, my contract ends in the middle of May). I would
like some assurance that I have a job here if she doesn't come back.
However, I've been told that that may not happen, because they still need to
advertise the job (because it would be a 'job vacancy', not just a need for
a contract to cover for someone on leave). Is this a usual and/or legal
thing? Apparently I would be considered as a candidate for the "full time
job", but it would not automatically be given to me, even though I've been
here for almost 6 months and have been doing the job well. I've asked if
there's a possibility that a document could be drawn up that says "Yes, you
have the job IF <blank> doesn't come back", with the understanding that if
she *does* come back, they're not obligated to give me a job.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Has anyone been in a similar
situation? If so, what happened? Please e-mail me off list, as I realize
this may not be totally on-topic.

Thanks.

Jacqueline Fry
Documentation Specialist
Array Systems Computing Inc.
1120 Finch Avenue West, 8th Floor
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 3H7
Phone: 416-736-0900 ext. 275
E-mail: jfry -at- array -dot- ca

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