Fixed-Term Non-Renewal Notice Colombia (Preaviso de No Renovación de Contrato a Término Fijo)

A Fixed-Term Non-Renewal Notice Colombia (Preaviso de No Renovación de Contrato a Término Fijo) is a formal written communication from an employer to a worker — or from a worker to an employer — announcing the decision not to renew a fixed-term employment contract (contrato de trabajo a término fijo) upon its expiration, as required by Artículo 46 of the Código Sustantivo del Trabajo (CST) — Decreto Ley 2663 de 1950 — as modified by Artículo 3 of Ley 50 de 1990. Colombian labour law mandates that the party wishing to prevent automatic renewal must deliver written notice at least thirty (30) calendar days before the contract's expiration date.

Under CST Artículo 46, a fixed-term employment contract in Colombia may not exceed three (3) years but is renewable indefinitely. When a fixed-term contract has an initial duration of less than one (1) year, it may be renewed for equal or shorter periods up to three (3) times; from the fourth renewal onward, the contract must be renewed for a minimum period of one (1) year. Failure to deliver the thirty-day preaviso results in automatic renewal (prórroga automática) for a period equal to the original term — or one year, whichever applies under the renewal rules.

The Constitución Política de 1991 establishes foundational protections relevant to contract non-renewal. Artículo 25 declares work a fundamental right with special State protection, and Artículo 53 enshrines the principio de estabilidad en el empleo (employment stability principle). The Corte Constitucional has held in multiple decisions — including Sentencia C-588 de 1995 and Sentencia T-010 de 2019 — that the employer's discretion to not renew a fixed-term contract is not absolute and must be exercised in good faith without discriminatory motives.

The Sala de Casación Laboral of the Corte Suprema de Justicia has established that the thirty-day preaviso requirement under CST Artículo 46 is a mandatory procedural prerequisite, not merely a formality. Insufficient notice — delivered fewer than thirty days before expiration or delivered verbally rather than in writing — does not effectively prevent renewal, and the contract continues for its stipulated renewal period. The notice must be delivered through a means that provides proof of receipt: personal delivery with signed acknowledgement, certified mail (correo certificado) through 4-72 or a private courier service, or notification through a notario público.

When the employer decides not to renew, all accrued prestaciones sociales must be liquidated and paid upon termination. Cesantías proportional under Ley 50 de 1990 Artículo 14, intereses sobre cesantías at 12% annual under CST Artículo 249, proportional prima de servicios under CST Artículo 306, and compensación de vacaciones under CST Artículo 189 must be calculated through the contract's expiration date and paid within the time limits established by law.

Special protections apply when the worker with a fixed-term contract is pregnant (fuero de maternidad under CST Artículo 239), a union member or leader (fuero sindical under CST Artículo 405), has a health condition limiting their work capacity (fuero de salud under Ley 361 de 1997 Artículo 26), or is approaching pension eligibility (fuero de pre-pensionado). The Corte Constitucional in Sentencia SU-070 de 2013 established that employers cannot use non-renewal of fixed-term contracts to circumvent these special stability protections — non-renewal of a protected worker without MinTrabajo or judicial authorization constitutes a violation equivalent to unjustified dismissal.

The Ministerio del Trabajo (MinTrabajo) oversees compliance with notice requirements through workplace inspections under Ley 1610 de 2013. Labour disputes arising from improper non-renewal are heard by the Juzgados Laborales del Circuito, with appeals to the Sala Laboral of the Tribunal Superior de Distrito Judicial and cassation review by the Sala de Casación Laboral of the Corte Suprema de Justicia.

A Fixed-Term Non-Renewal Notice Colombia is needed whenever an employer or worker decides not to renew a fixed-term employment contract (contrato de trabajo a término fijo) and must comply with the mandatory thirty-day preaviso requirement under CST Artículo 46 as modified by Ley 50 de 1990 Artículo 3. Without timely written notice, the contract renews automatically for the period stipulated by law.

The notice is required when a fixed-term contract approaches its expiration date and the employer has determined — due to business restructuring, position elimination, project completion, budgetary constraints, or performance-related reasons — that the employment relationship will not continue. Under Colombian law, the employer's decision not to renew is an exercise of contractual freedom that does not require stating a reason, but the Corte Constitucional has held that non-renewal motivated by pregnancy, union activity, health conditions, or other discriminatory factors constitutes an abuse of right subject to judicial correction.

A preaviso is needed when a worker wishes to leave at the end of a fixed-term contract rather than continue through automatic renewal. While workers more commonly exercise this option through voluntary resignation, the formal preaviso protects the worker from potential employer claims of contractual abandonment and confirms an orderly transition.

The notice must be delivered when a Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada (SAS) under Ley 1258 de 2008, a Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (SRL/Ltda.), a Sociedad Anónima (SA), or any other employer with fixed-term workers needs to manage workforce planning around contract renewal cycles. Large employers with multiple fixed-term contracts must track expiration dates systematically and issue notices at least thirty days in advance to prevent unwanted automatic renewals.

A preaviso is particularly critical when the contract involves a worker nearing the fourth renewal of a contract initially executed for less than one year under CST Artículo 46 — the fourth renewal must be for at least one year, and failing to issue timely non-renewal notice before the third renewal expires locks the employer into a minimum one-year extension.

The document is essential when the employer needs to document compliance for purposes of Ministerio del Trabajo inspections under Ley 1610 de 2013 and potential future litigation. Properly documented preaviso serves as the employer's primary defence against claims of unjustified dismissal and retroactive indemnification under CST Artículo 64.

A valid Fixed-Term Non-Renewal Notice Colombia under CST Artículo 46 and Ley 50 de 1990 Artículo 3 must contain the following elements to be legally effective and prevent automatic contract renewal. Identification of the Notifying Party: Full legal name of the employer (razón social) or worker issuing the notice. Where the employer is a legal entity — a Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada (SAS) under Ley 1258 de 2008, a Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada (SRL/Ltda.), or a Sociedad Anónima (SA) — the company's NIT (Número de Identificación Tributaria) assigned by the DIAN, and identification of the representante legal or persona autorizada signing the notice must be included, verified through the Certificado de Existencia y Representación Legal from the Cámara de Comercio. The notice must be addressed specifically to the counterparty and delivered through a verifiable means. Contract Reference: Identification of the specific fixed-term employment contract being affected, including the original execution date, the current term (initial or renewal number), the job title (cargo), the contracted salary, and the contract's expiration date. Where the contract has been renewed multiple times, specifying the renewal number helps establish the applicable renewal rules under CST Artículo 46. Non-Renewal Declaration: Clear, unambiguous statement that the notifying party has decided not to renew the fixed-term employment contract upon its expiration. The Sala de Casación Laboral of the Corte Suprema de Justicia requires that the intent not to renew be expressed with sufficient clarity to leave no doubt about the party's intention — conditional or ambiguous language may be interpreted as failing to constitute effective notice. Expiration Date: Statement of the exact date on which the contract will expire and the employment relationship will end. All prestaciones sociales, social security contributions through PILA, and ARL coverage under Ley 1562 de 2012 must continue through this date. Thirty-Day Compliance: The notice must be dated and delivered at least thirty (30) calendar days before the contract's expiration date. Proof of delivery — signed acknowledgement (acuse de recibo), certified mail tracking number, or notarial notification record — is essential evidence in any future dispute. The Corte Suprema de Justicia has consistently held that notices delivered fewer than thirty days before expiration are ineffective. Prestaciones Sociales Reference: Statement that all accrued prestaciones sociales will be liquidated and paid upon termination: proportional cesantías under Ley 50 de 1990 Artículo 14, intereses sobre cesantías under CST Artículo 249, proportional prima de servicios under CST Artículo 306, compensación de vacaciones under CST Artículo 189, and any outstanding salary or auxilio de transporte. Certificación Laboral: Confirmation that the employer will issue the certificación laboral required by CST Artículo 57 numeral 7 upon the worker's request, documenting the period of service, position held, and salary earned. Forms-legal.com provides this Fixed-Term Non-Renewal Notice Colombia template as a practical tool for managing fixed-term contract expiration cycles. Every non-renewal notice should be reviewed by a licensed abogado laboralista to verify compliance with special stability protections (fueros) and confirm proper calculation of the thirty-day notice period, particularly when calendar months span different numbers of days. Additional compliance elements for a Fixed-Term Non-Renewal Notice Colombia (Preaviso de No Renovación de Contrato a Término Fijo) used in Colombia include: Under the Codigo Sustantivo del Trabajo (CST), Colombian employment law governs individual and collective labour relations. The Ministerio del Trabajo enforces compliance and issues regulations. The Sistema General de Seguridad Social (EPS, ARL, Fondo de Pensiones) provides health, occupational risk, and pension coverage. The Unidad de Gestion Pensional y Parafiscales (UGPP) audits employer contributions. The Caja de Compensacion Familiar administers family subsidy benefits. Forms-legal.com provides this template as a starting point for Colombia-compliant documentation.