Croatia teaching assistants face job insecurity due to legal conflicts

Teaching assistants in Croatia are facing potential job losses after three years of service due to conflicting regulations. The Labor Act prohibits continuous fixed-term employment beyond three years, yet schools lack Ministry approval to offer permanent contracts because the system is currently funded through temporary and project-based financing.

Goranka Marković, president of the Preporod School Union's committee for teaching assistants, warned that many workers are afraid to speak out publicly about their struggles for fear of losing contract renewals. She noted that instead of the expected transition to stable employment, the expiration of third-year contracts has created significant uncertainty.

The Ministry of Science, Education and Youth stated that negotiations regarding the status of these workers are ongoing. While some local decisions to deny third contracts were recently reversed after it was clarified that employees funded by EU funds are exempt from certain restrictions, the union continues to call for legislative amendments to ensure workers are offered permanent positions if a need for the role persists.