Is it possible to extend a six month probationary period by another six months at the end of the six months?

Probationary periods are not dealt with under employment legislation and are a matter of contractual agreement between employers and employees. Therefore, in theory, the parties to an employment contract can agree to any length of probationary period. The norm, however, is a 6 month probationary period with an option for the employer to extend for a further period.

The key here is that the total probationary period should not exceed 12 months (inclusive of the employee's notice period), at which point an employee will acquire the protections afforded by the Unfair Dismissals Acts. For that reason, a six month probationary period extended by a further six months would not be recommended. It