Extending, ending or handing over an interim assignment

Short answer: Decide whether to extend or end an interim assignment four to six weeks before the planned end date. In Germany, the Temporary Agency Work Act (AÜG) limits the assignment of the same person to the same client to 18 consecutive months (§ 1(1b) AÜG); Swiss staff leasing has no statutory maximum duration. At the end, handover, system access and documents matter most. If the professional is to stay, a move into your team (temp-to-perm) is also possible; the terms are agreed in advance.

This guide is for general counsel, heads of legal, heads of compliance, HR and procurement in Switzerland and Germany who need to extend, end or hand over a running staff leasing or freelance assignment. It covers deadlines and maximum durations, an end-of-assignment checklist and the route to a move into your team.

What needs clarifying when? Scenarios and deadlines at a glance

Every end of assignment has its own deadlines. The table summarises the most common scenarios; statutory deadlines show the provision, all others follow from the contract.

Extending: deadlines and the maximum duration in Germany, no maximum in Switzerland

An interim assignment can be extended in both countries, but in Germany the 18-month cap is a hard limit. Decide early and in writing.

Germany

• 18 months: the same temporary worker may be assigned to the same client for at most 18 consecutive months. The duty applies to both the agency and the client (§ 1(1b) sentence 1 AÜG).
• Counting earlier assignments: earlier assignments with the same client count in full if the gap was three months or less, even if they ran through a different agency (§ 1(1b) sentence 2 AÜG).
• Deviations: a collective agreement in the client's sector can set a different maximum; non-bound companies can reach up to 24 months through a works agreement if the collective agreement allows it (§ 1(1b) sentences 3–8 AÜG).
• Consequence of exceeding it: the employment contract with the agency becomes void and an employment relationship with the client is deemed to exist, unless the worker files a declaration to stay with the agency (§§ 9, 10 AÜG). A fine of up to EUR 30,000 may also apply.
• Pay: where a collective agreement deviates from equal pay, this is generally allowed for the first 9 months only, or up to 15 months under a sector supplement agreement (§ 8(4) AÜG). An extension beyond month 9 may therefore change the cost; ask your provider.

Our guide to staff leasing and agency work for lawyers covers roles and the maximum duration in more detail.

Switzerland

The Recruitment Act (AVG) and its ordinance (AVV) contain no statutory maximum duration for temporary assignments. An extension amends the leasing contract, which must state the duration or notice periods and the working hours (Art. 22(1) AVG). If the assignment falls under the collective agreement for staff leasing (GAV Personalverleih), its provisions continue to apply; salaries above the maximum insured earnings under the Accident Insurance Act are excluded. The same guide to staff leasing of lawyers covers the Swiss specifics.

Freelancing

For freelancing, you extend the mandate. Check that the work is still independent and clearly defined. The more a professional is integrated and receives instructions, the more likely it is to count as employment (§ 7(1) SGB IV); in Switzerland, work for a single client is usually treated as employment for social security purposes. If the mandate no longer fits, switching to staff leasing is an option.

Ending: notice periods in staff leasing

An assignment ends either as planned on the agreed date or early with notice. The notice periods depend on the country and the contract.

• Switzerland: open-ended staff leasing assignments have short minimum notice periods: 2 days in the first 3 months, 7 days from month 4 to month 6 of continuous employment (Art. 19(4) AVG). After that, the OR periods apply, i.e. 1 month to month-end in the first year of service (Art. 335c OR). The leasing contract sets how you as client give notice.
• Germany: the leasing contract with the agency sets how and with what notice the client ends the assignment. The employment relationship between agency and professional continues independently.
• Freelancing: the notice periods in the mandate contract apply.

Even with an early end, allow at least a few days for handover. Zero notice rarely saves money if knowledge is missing afterwards.

Handover and knowledge retention

A good handover allows whoever continues the work to carry on without a fresh stocktake. Start two to four weeks before the end of the assignment.

1. Update the matter register: all open matters with status, next step, priority and owner after the assignment.
2. Document decisions: what was decided, by whom and why, with file location.
3. Hand over deadlines: all deadlines for the next three months into the new owner's calendar.
4. File templates and work product: precedents, checklists, clause proposals and memos in the company's systems, not locally.
5. Inform stakeholders: business units and law firms learn who is responsible from when.
6. Hold an exit meeting: record open risks, recommendations and lessons learned.

Our onboarding checklist for interim professionals shows how to structure the first 30 days. An assignment that started well is also easier to hand over.

Revoking access and returning documents

By the last day, all access that is no longer needed should be revoked. A checklist helps:

• IT: user account, VPN, email with forwarding or out-of-office message, two-factor devices.
• Specialist systems: contract database, document management, ticketing, data rooms, authority portals.
• Powers of attorney: revoke individual powers and update signatory lists, if granted.
• Hardware and documents: laptop, phone, badge, keys and all paper files returned.
• Formal roles: if the professional was appointed, for example, as money laundering officer in Germany, the removal must be notified to the supervisor in advance (§ 7(4) GwG).
• Confidentiality: reminder of continuing confidentiality obligations and confirmation that no copies remain.

Moving into your team: temp-to-perm

A move of the interim professional into your team (temp-to-perm) is possible; the terms are agreed in advance. It makes sense when the assignment shows that the professional, the tasks and the team are a lasting fit.

• Raise it early: clarify at the selection stage whether a later move is conceivable, so that terms and timing are settled.
• Plan the timing: fix when permanent employment starts and how open matters move over from the assignment.
• Check the role: consider whether the tasks in the assignment match the future position or whether profile and seniority change.

Alpinum Solutions provides legal and compliance professionals through staff leasing and freelancing, part-time or full-time, and discusses extension, end and a possible move into the team with both the company and the professional.

Limits and risks

• Checking the maximum duration requires knowing the person's earlier assignments, including through other providers. Ask actively.
• If an assignment ends without a handover, knowledge is lost; the cost only shows later.
• Alpinum is not a law firm. Whether a collective agreement deviation or works agreement applies in your case is for your legal or HR team to confirm.

Frequently asked questions about extending and ending interim assignments

How early should an extension be decided?

Decide four to six weeks before the planned end. That leaves time for budget approval, contract changes and, if there is no extension, an orderly handover. In Germany, also check how much of the 18 months under § 1(1b) AÜG has already been used, including earlier assignments.

What happens after 18 months in Germany?

After 18 consecutive months, the same person may not continue to be assigned to the same client, unless a collective agreement provides otherwise. If the limit is exceeded, an employment relationship with the client is deemed to exist, unless the professional objects with a declaration to stay with the agency (§§ 9, 10 AÜG). Options are a permanent hire, a break of more than three months or a different professional.

Is there a maximum duration for temporary assignments in Switzerland?

No. The AVG and AVV contain no statutory maximum duration. A staff leasing assignment can therefore last as long as client, provider and professional agree. Open-ended assignments have shortened notice periods in the first six months (Art. 19(4) AVG), followed by the OR periods.

Can I end an assignment overnight?

That depends on the contract. In Switzerland, the minimum notice for open-ended assignments in the first 3 months is 2 days (Art. 19(4) AVG); the leasing contract may set a separate period for the client. In Germany and for freelancing, the contractual notice periods apply. In every case, allow time for handover and access.

Can I hire an interim professional permanently after the assignment?

Yes. A move into your team (temp-to-perm) is possible; the terms are agreed in advance. Ideally, raise the topic at the selection stage and plan the transition four to six weeks before the end of the assignment, together with the decision on extension or end. That way, live matters stay in the same hands without a break.

Next step

If an assignment is ending or you want to extend it, we will discuss deadlines, handover and options with you.

• Staff leasing for legal and compliance
• Staff leasing and agency work for lawyers in Switzerland and Germany
• Discuss your requirements

Last updated: 30 October 2026.