Temporary workers

Temporary employment contracts are often used by employers to manage fluctuations in personnel needs. Many sectors of industry experience these fluctuations, which are often seasonal. This creates uncertainty about the continuousness of demand for work, which is transferred from employers to employees through the use of temporary contracts. Besides job and income insecurity, there is also a risk that precarious work is assigned to temporary employees. Employment and occupational safety and health (OSH) legislation are aimed at preventing excesses, but rules differ from country to country. This article gives an overview of the different applications of temporary employment from the European Union’s (EU) perspective, the risks and effects for the employees, and measures to prevent negative consequences