Fixed-term employment contract template (CDD) for Algeria

In Algeria, a fixed-term employment contract (CDD) is allowed only in the five cases listed in article 12 of Law No. 90-11: a non-renewable works or service contract, replacing an absent employee, periodic discontinuous work, extra workload or seasonal needs, and work that is temporary by nature. The contract must state its term and its reason. A CDD signed outside these cases is treated as a permanent contract (CDI) under article 14.

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Choosing the right reason

Legal reasonExampleWhat to write in the contract
Non-renewable works or service contractA technician hired for one site or a one-off client projectThe reference and term of the client contract
Replacing an absent post holderCovering an employee on maternity leaveThe name and post of the person replaced and the reason for absence
Periodic discontinuous workA stocktake carried out every year endThe type of work and how often it recurs
Extra workload or seasonExtra staff for a tourist season or an order peakThe exact cause of the extra workload and the period
Limited or temporary activityA trade fair, an event, a project with a set end dateThe activity concerned and its expected length
The five cases in article 12 and what to write

What to adapt in the template

  • Article 2: keep one reason only and describe it concretely. A vague reason (“business needs”) is not enough.
  • Article 3: give a precise end date or, for a replacement, the return of the person replaced with a latest date.
  • Article 4: the job title and grade, under your pay scale or the collective agreement for your sector.
  • Article 6: a short trial period suited to the contract's length, within the limits set by law and the collective agreement. You may also have none.
  • Article 7: weekly hours and schedule, in line with the legal working time.
  • Article 8: gross base salary and each bonus with how it is calculated. Pay may not be below the SNMG, the national guaranteed minimum wage.

After signing

  1. 1

    Give the employee a copy

    Each party keeps a signed original. Attach the internal rules if the company has them.

  2. 2

    Register the employee with the CNAS

    The employer registers every employee with the CNAS, the social insurance fund for salaried workers, on hiring and within the legal deadline, then declares and pays contributions. If this is your first employee, the company must first register as an employer.

  3. 3

    Keep payroll records

    Issue a payslip for every pay period and keep proof of payment.

  4. 4

    Prepare the end of the contract

    At the end date, hand over the employment certificate and the final settlement. If you want to keep the employee in an ongoing job, sign a CDI.

Common mistakes

  • Signing the CDD after the employee has started: without a written term and reason from day one, article 12 is not met.
  • Copying the same reason from one contract to the next without checking it is still true.
  • Ending the CDD early without a cause provided by law: the employer risks a claim before the labour court.
  • Skipping CNAS registration because the contract is short: every employee must be declared.
  • Setting a trial period as long as the contract itself.

Two ways to get it done

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Frequently asked questions

When can a fixed-term contract be signed in Algeria?

Only in the five cases of article 12 of Law No. 90-11: a non-renewable works or service contract, replacing an absent post holder whose post is kept, periodic discontinuous work, extra workload or seasonal reasons, and work of limited duration or temporary by nature.

What if the reason is not valid?

The contract is considered a contract of indefinite duration (article 14 of Law No. 90-11). The employee can then no longer be let go simply because the end date has arrived.

Must a CDD be in writing?

In practice, yes: article 12 requires the contract to state the length of the employment relationship and the reason for that term. Without a written document proving this, the condition is not met and the contract risks being treated as a CDI.

Can a CDD be renewed?

The template provides for renewal by a written amendment signed before the end date, provided the reason in article 2 still exists. Renewal without a real reason, or repeated CDDs on a permanent job, risk the contract being reclassified as permanent.

Can a CDD include a trial period?

Yes, provided it stays in proportion to the contract's length and within the limits set by Law No. 90-11 and the collective agreement. For a contract of a few weeks, a long trial period makes no sense.

Must a CDD employee be registered with the CNAS?

Yes. A CDD employee is a salaried worker like any other: the employer registers them with the CNAS and pays contributions, whatever the length of the contract.

Can a CDD be ended before its end date?

Only in the cases and under the procedures provided by law, the collective agreement and the internal rules, for example during the trial period or for serious misconduct. Ending it early without cause exposes the employer to a claim.

Official sources

  1. [1]Law No. 90-11 of 21 April 1990 on employment relations, as amended, art. 12 and 14 (Official Journal)
  2. [2]National Social Insurance Fund for Salaried Workers (CNAS)

Written and checked by the Neuron Cowork team, Dely Brahim. Checked on .

Our editorial policy

This is general information, checked on the date shown. Rules change: if in doubt, the official text cited prevails.

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