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Temporary work

Overview

Temporary work or temporary employment refers to a situation where the employee is expected to leave the employer within a certain period of time. Temporary employees are sometimes called "contractual" or "seasonal" or "freelance" or "temps." Agricultural workers are often temporarily employed for harvesting. In some instances, temporary professional employees (particularly in the white collar fields, such as law, engineering, and accounting) even refer to themselves as "consultants." This is not to be confused with actual consultants (such as management consultants) who are salaried employees of major, prestigious consulting firms (e.g.

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Encyclopedia

Temporary work or temporary employment refers to a situation where the employee is expected to leave the employer within a certain period of time. Temporary employees are sometimes called "contractual" or "seasonal" or "freelance" or "temps." Agricultural workers are often temporarily employed for harvesting. In some instances, temporary professional employees (particularly in the white collar fields, such as law, engineering, and accounting) even refer to themselves as "consultants." This is not to be confused with actual consultants (such as management consultants) who are salaried employees of major, prestigious consulting firms (e.g. Bain and Company, The Boston Consulting Group).

They may work full-time or part-time, depending on the individual case. In some instances, they are given benefits (such as health insurance

Health insurance

Health insurance is insurance that pays for medical expenses. It is sometimes used more broadly to include insurance covering disability or long-term nursing or custodial care needs. It may be provided through a government-sponsored social insurance program, or from private insurance companies...

), but usually the best treatment is reserved for the permanent employees

Permanent Employment

In Japan, the practice of has been the rule in big Japanese companies beginning with the first economic successes in the 1920s. Lifetime employment starts with a special Japanese event called Simultaneous Recruiting of New Graduates. It gives Japanese workers the important feeling of job security...

. Not all temporary employees find jobs through a temporary Employment agency

Employment agency

An employment agency is an organisation which matches employers to employees. In all developed countries there is a publicly funded employment agency and multiple private businesses which also act as employment agencies.-Public employment agencies:...

. For example, a person can simply apply at a local park for seasonal jobs.

A temporary work agency
Employment agency
An employment agency is an organisation which matches employers to employees. In all developed countries there is a publicly funded employment agency and multiple private businesses which also act as employment agencies.-Public employment agencies:...

, or temp agency or temporary staffing firm finds and retains workers. Other companies, in need of short-term workers, contract with the temp agency to send temporary workers, or temps, on assignment to work at the other companies. Temporary employees are also used in work that has a cyclical nature that requires frequent adjustment of staffing levels.

Temporary agencies

A temporary agency may be distinct from a recruitment firm, which seeks to place permanent employees, but there is often a large overlap: a permanent employee may start out as a "try-before-you-buy" trial temporary worker.

Many temporary agencies specialize in a particular profession or field of business, such as general industrial labor, accounting, health care

Health care

Health care , is the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the medical, dental, complementary and alternative medicine, pharmaceutical, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions...

, technical

Technology

Technology is a broad concept that deals with human as well as other animal species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment...

or secretarial

Secretary

A secretary is an administrative assistant in business office administration.The executive secretary has a myriad of administrative duties. Traditionally, these duties were mostly related to correspondence, such as the typing out of letters...

. Some even "specialize" in odd-jobs. Because of the added level of communication between the employer (worksite) and the temporary agency and then finally to the agency's employee these short-term roles can be miscommunicated and cancelled on a whim. The employer (worksite) is paying for a service and can decide to stop that service (labor/skills) at any time.

A temporary agency may have a standard set of tests to judge the competence of the secretarial or clerical skills of an applicant. An applicant is hired based on their scores on these tests, and is placed into a database. Companies or individuals looking to hire someone temporarily contact the agency and describe the skill set they are seeking. A temporary employee is then found in the database and is contacted to see if they would be interested in taking the assignment.

Temporary workers

When a temporary employee agrees to an assignment, they receive instructions pertaining to the job. Information is provided on correct work attire, work hours, wages, and who to report to. If a temporary employee arrives at a job assignment and is asked to perform duties not described when they accepted the job, they may call an agency representative for clarification. If they choose not to continue on the assignment based on these discrepancies, they will most likely lose pay and may undermine chances at other job opportunities. However, some agencies guarantee an employee a certain number of hours pay if, once the temporary employee arrives, there is no work or the work isn't as described. Most agencies do not require an employee to continue work if the discrepancies are enough to make it difficult for the employee to actually do the work.

It is up to the temporary employee to keep in constant contact with the agency when not currently working on an assignment; by letting the agency know that they are available to work they are given priority over those who may be in the agency database who have not made it clear that they are ready and willing to take an assignment. A temporary agency employee is the exclusive employee of the agency, not of the company in which they are placed (although subject to legal dispute). The temporary employee is bound by the rules and regulations of their direct employer, even if they contrast with those of the company in which they are placed. For example, if a temporary employee is asked by the company in which they are placed to lift a heavy box, they may respond "I am sorry, my agency does not allow me to perform that task. I wish I could help. Please feel free to contact my supervisor there for more information."

Temporary employees are in a constant state of employment flux because they are never guaranteed consistent employment, nor are they assured of a solid start or finish date for their assignment. A temporary employee's assignment can be ended at any time, even in the middle of its projected time frame, without explanation. This causes potential turbulence in cases of discrimination

Discrimination

Discrimination is a sociological term refering to treatment taken toward or against a person of a certain group that is taken in consideration based on class or category. The United Nations explains: "Discriminatory behaviours take many forms, but they all involve some form of exclusion or...

, which is usually handled internally between the employee and the agency.

Permatemp

The classic permatemp situation results when a worker classified as "temporary" works alongside regular employees doing similar work for a long period. By claiming that the employee is only temporary, the worksite company avoids paying for benefits and employer taxes. Benefits and taxes, such as social security, typically are 33% of the employee's pay. For example, if you made 30k per year as a permanent employee (aka with benefits), approximately 10k would be paid for your health insurance, retirement, employer payroll taxes, etc (in some states sales tax is even paid by the worksite, as the temporary employee's "labor" is considered a sold good). Typically at least that 10k is paid to the temporary agency, who provides little to no benefits to their employee. The worksite company also tangentially benefits because it has no responsibility to the employee — permatemp employees can be fired

Termination of employment

Termination of employment is the end of an employee's duration with an employer. Depending on the case, the decision may be made by the employee, the employer, or mutually agreed upon by both.-Voluntary termination:...

or laid off at any time, as they have no career service protection or seniority. Temporary employees are often ineligible to apply for jobs open to regular employees.

Pros and cons

Advantages to those seeking employment from a temp agency are:

Easy hire: Those meeting technical requirements for the type of work are often virtually guaranteed a job without a selection process.
Flexible hours; a choice of which shifts to work; the ability to take off for weekends
Workweek
The legal workweek varies from nation to nation. What constitutes the workweek is mandated by law in some jurisdictions, but in others custom applies...

, holidays
Holiday (disambiguation)
A holiday is a special day of rest. Holiday can also refer to:*One of The Holidays, a period of commonly celebrated holidays, such as the winter holiday season in North America*A vacation...

, vacations, personal appointments, or for any other reason of choice, or to work on such days for additional pay
Pay rates are often higher than the customary wages in a comparable permanent position
The likelihood of getting fired is lower than in a permanent position, though a client of the agency can make a request for the temporary worker not to return, even for a minor infraction

Drawbacks to temp agencies are as follows:

Many temp agencies do not offer any type of benefits, such as health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance that pays for medical expenses. It is sometimes used more broadly to include insurance covering disability or long-term nursing or custodial care needs. It may be provided through a government-sponsored social insurance program, or from private insurance companies...

. Benefits package is usually 30 to 40 percent of a permanent's employee base income.
Temp to hire positions have been known to have high turn over rates.

In some temp agencies, workers are considered self-employed independent contractor

Independent contractor

An independent contractor is a natural person, business, or corporation that provides goods or services to another entity under terms specified in a contract or within a [verbal agreement. Unlike an employee, an independent contractor does not work regularly for an employer but works as and when...

s, who have a status similar to those running their own businesses.

Reduced liability protection: With independent contractor status, contractors are required to carry liability insurance
Liability insurance
Liability insurance is a part of the general insurance system of risk financing. Originally, individuals or companies that faced a common peril, formed a group and created a self-help fund out of which to pay compensation should any member incur loss. The modern system relies on dedicated carriers...

or else can be held accountable in a negligence
Negligence
Negligence is a legal concept in the common law legal systems usually used to achieve compensation for injuries . Negligence is a type of tort or delict . However, the concept is sometimes used in criminal law as well...

lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit is a civil action brought before a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have received damages from a defendant's actions, seeks a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...

when an error results in damage.
Lack of reference: Many employers of experienced job positions do not consider work done for a temporary agency as sufficient on a resume.

Controversies

Temp agencies have been involved in some legal controversies, often pertaining to the trust of workers who have been screened little if at all for a position requiring high security clearance.

For example, in 2004, prior to the election

United States presidential election, 2004

The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...

some voter registration

Voter registration

Voter registration is the requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to check in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote in elections. An effort to get people to register is known as a voter registration drive.-Centralized/compulsory vs...

applications for Democrat

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world. In the U.S...

s were found to be discarded in a trash bin outside of the office. According to the local board of elections

Board of elections

A board of elections is a body of officials designated to administer elections. U.S. states often have boards of elections, as do some municipalities, such as New York City. The board is typically not under the direct control of the executive branch and therefore is buffered somewhat from political...