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SALT LAKE CITY -- As thousands of Americans struggle to find permanent employment, temporary employment agencies are putting people to work at a faster rate. Labor and data experts say companies are filling both professional and blue collar jobs with temporary, contract, and freelance workers -- a sign the market is rebounding.
It's work. It's money. It's something to do until you can find something better, if you have to.
–Mark Young
Logan resident Mark Young says finding work through a temp agency is the way to go if you're out of work.
"It's work. It's money," says Young. "It's something to do until you can find something better if you have to."
Labor experts say that's a problem because temporary employment could become a permanent fixture in the U.S. workforce. As the economy begins to recover, companies begin to assess the pool of applicants first with temp workers. Experts say it could take several years for the economy to get back to "normal," which means more temp workers in the workforce for a long period of time.
Still, the prospect of being expendable once employers meet their needs with temporary help or until they find their perfect applicant, doesn't seem to deter some people.
"It's a way to pay your bills," says Young. "If you had to do that until you could find something better, then I'd do that."
Meanwhile, a workforce filled with temporary workers can create a hostile environment for permanent workers because, according to labor experts, permanent employees can begin to feel insecure in their jobs. At the same time, experts say companies are strategically paying and using temporary, freelance, and contract workers, which makes some permanent employees want to jump ship and take advantage of those strategies.
If the workforce continues to be flooded with temp help, experts say companies may be forced to offer workers higher wages and some benefits just to compete for more qualified candidates.
Until then, people like Mark Young believes in taking advantage of whatever opportunity lies before you.
"I'd do whatever I have to to take care of my family's needs" says Young. "If I had to take temp work while I was trying to do my own thing, then I'd do that."
E-mail: niyamba@ksl.com
