Temporary work
Temporary employees are sometimes called "contractual", "seasonal", "interim", "casual staff", "outsourcing", and "freelance"; or the words may be shortened to "temps".
In some instances, temporary, highly skilled professionals (particularly in the white-collar worker fields, such as human resources, research and development, engineering, and accounting) refer to themselves as consultants.
With the rise of the Internet and gig economy (a labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs), many workers are now finding short-term jobs through freelance marketplaces: a situation that brings into being a global market for work.
The staffing industry in the United States began after World War II with small agencies in urban areas employing housewives for part-time work as office workers.
Throughout the Fordist era, temporary workers made up a rather marginal proportion of the total labor force in North America.
[4] In contrast, in the Post-Fordist period, characterized by neoliberalism, deindustrialization and the dismantling of the welfare state, these understandings of temporary labor began to shift.
The "gig economy" is defined as a labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work instead of permanent jobs.
[8] Before the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, it was common for one person to take on multiple temporary jobs to piece together livable earnings.
[9] This transformation has been characterized by an economic restructuring that emphasized flexibility within spaces of work, labor markets, employment relationships, wages and benefits.
The biggest temporary work agencies are most profitable in emerging economies of the Global North and those that have undergone market liberalization, deregulation, and (re)regulation.
[12] In many countries, there are no restrictions on the type of temporary work that is legal, including the United Kingdom, Canada, China, Sweden, and Denmark.
[18] Because the assignments are temporary, there is little incentive to provide benefits, and the pay is low in situations with a lot of labor flexibility.
[18] Whether the work comes through an independent gig economy source or a temp agency, when a temporary employee[21] agrees to an assignment, they receive instructions pertaining to the job.
[22] A temporary work agency may have a standard set of tests to judge the competence of the secretarial or clerical skills of an applicant.
Additionally, temp workers are less likely to sue over mistreatment, which allows firms to reduce the costs of employment in high-stress, regulated jobs.
[19] An additional ramification of temp workers "guest" status is at the bottom of the workplace hierarchy, which is visually identifiable on ID cards, in different colored uniforms, as well as the encouragement of more "provocative dress".
[19] Their "guest" status often means temp workers are unable to access on-site workplace accommodations and are not included in meetings despite the length of their time working at the client firm.
[29] Studies have also shown a higher burden of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses among temporary workers compared to those in standard employment arrangements.
They are often inexperienced and assigned to hazardous jobs and tasks,[32][31][33][34] may be reluctant to object to unsafe working conditions or to advocate for safety measures due to fear of job loss or other repercussions,[33] and they may lack basic knowledge and skills to protect themselves from workplace hazards due to insufficient safety training.
[35] According to a joint guidance document released by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), both staffing agencies and host employers (i.e., the clients of staffing agencies) are responsible for providing and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for temporary workers.
[37] In 2022, NIOSH and partners released a set of occupational safety and health best practices for host employers of temporary workers.
Workers, scholars, union organizers, and activists have identified many cons of temporary work, including the gig economy.
[48] Internet of Things-based companies such as Uber and Handy have come into conflict with authorities and workers for circumventing labor and social security obligations.
For example, two class-action lawsuits settled in 2016 resulted in changes to Uber's employment policies, including clarification of drivers' rights and the company's disciplinary procedures.
