Define Temporary Work

Temporary work is not a permanent job.

According to Entrepreneur.com, temporary workers are "Employees who are not permanently hired but hired for limited periods of time." Employers prefer hiring temporary employees because the labor costs are a fraction of what it cost to hire a permanent full time employee. Further, temporary work consists of many different types of work.

Types

There are many types of temporary jobs.

There are many different kinds of temporary work. Contract work is an agreement between an employer and employee that states specific time frames and wage information in which work is done and includes an expected contract termination date. Another type of temporary work is seasonal work. Much as it sounds, seasonal work can be full or part-time work. Further, casual employment is another form of temporary work.

Time Frame

Temporary work

Temporary work or temp work has stated time constraints expressed during the hiring process. Seasonal temp jobs end after the holiday season is over or when business slows down. Further, contract work states time specific dates and the number of total days the contract is valid before a possible renegotiation may occur. If the contract is not renewed then the worker is displaced. This is why contract work is a type of temp work. Casual work, not to be confused with contract work, is another form of temp work. Casual work is used by government agencies and lasts 89 days before the employee is let go for a few days and then possibly rehired.

Function

Temporary work is beneficial for both parties.

Temporary work exists to meet the short term needs of the company. Employers veer towards hiring temporary workers over full-time regular employees as it saves the company money. Companies pay temps lower wages than full-time employees and save even more money since temp workers are not offered benefits. Further, hiring temps benefits companies and temps as each party gains, one is employed and the other fills an open position.

Jobs

Retail jobs employ many temporary workers.

Temporary work is used by employers in most occupational fields. Temp work is mostly seen in retail jobs, factories and construction jobs. These jobs have a lot of positions that most workers don't want to take because of bad hours and conditions. The reason these fields employ temporary workers is due to the high employee turn over. It is cheaper to hire temps to perform certain jobs than to spend money to train a permanent employee to do the same job.

Potential

Full-time potential is possible.

Temporary work is not a permanent position in a company. However, if an employer notices good work ethic and a positive demeanor while performing temp work, sometimes temps are offered a full-time position with the company. Keep in mind that regardless of the temporary job held, opportunities for further employment do exist. For employers, hiring temporary workers allows them to view many employees until the right one for the job comes along.

References

• Entrepreneur: Temporary Workers

Resources

• justice.gov: Temporary Work
• Federal Jobs: Occupation, Jobs, and Study Guide