Overview
- Europe’s top court upheld the European Commission’s infringement case on Wednesday, declaring Italy’s framework for hiring administrative, technical and auxiliary school staff unlawful under EU rules.
- The judges found Italy sets no cap on how long or how many times fixed-term contracts can be renewed for these roles.
- The court said a rule that lets workers compete for permanent posts only after two years on temporary contracts pushes schools to use temps to fill long-term needs.
- Ad hoc and unpredictable competitions for open-ended jobs do not stop abuse from back-to-back temporary deals, according to the ruling.
- Italy is now obligated to change its law, and the Commission will track compliance, a shift that could bring more stable jobs for the staff who keep schools running day to day.