WHAT ADVANTAGES DO STAFFING FIRMS OFFER EMPLOYERS?

Flexibility - The staffing industry offers flexibility to both employees and companies. People can choose when, where, and how they want to work. Companies can get the skills they need to keep fully staffed during busy times.

• 66% of staffing employees say flexible work time is important to them.
• 64% of staffing employees report that their work gives them the scheduling flexibility and the time for family that they desire.
• 90% of client businesses say staffing companies give them flexibility to keep fully staffed during busy times.

Bridge to Permanent Employment - Temporary and contract work provides a bridge to permanent employment. People can try out a prospective employer and showcase their skills for a permanent job.

• 88% of staffing employees say that temporary or contract work made them more employable.
• 77% of staffing employees say it’s a good way to obtain a permanent job.
• 80% of staffing clients say staffing firms offer a good way to find people who can become permanent employees.

Choice of Work Options - Many people choose temporary and contract work as an employment option. They can select their work schedules and choose among a variety of diverse and challenging assignments.

• 67% of staffing employees say choice of assignments was an important factor in their job decision.
• 23% of staffing employees have little or no interest in a permanent job—they prefer the alternative arrangement over traditional employment.
• 33% of staffing employees say they work for a staffing company because they like the diversity and challenge of different jobs.

Training - The staffing industry provides free training for millions of temporary and contract employees to help meet today's demand for skilled workers.

• 90% of staffing companies provide free training to their temporary employees.
• 65% of staffing employees say they developed new or improved work skills through their assignments.

40% of staffing employees say they choose temporary or contract work as a way to obtain employment experience or job training.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Temporary Staffing Firm?
A Temporary Staffing Firm is a registered business with the Division of Consumer Affairs whose principal reason for existence is the employment of individuals and their assignment with clients on typically short-term projects. Employment may be as short as one day or may extend to months and even years as employees remain with temporary staffing firms going from one assignment to another.

Temporary staffing firms are not to be confused with individuals who drive vans and bring to a client a group of workers to work for the day in exchange for cash payments. This is NOT a temporary staffing firm.

What is a Direct Hire Firm?
A Direct Hire firm is a registered business with the Division of Consumer Affairs whose primary service is to search for qualified candidates for employment by the client firm. These firms are paid by the client to find candidates and do not charge the individuals any fees for representation. Executive Search firms are another category of direct hire firms whoa re paid by the client for a dedicated search for usually senior management or critical professional positions within the client’s organization.

Are the temporary personnel classified as employees or independent contractors?
Virtually all of the temporary employees are employed by the temporary staffing firms and are covered as any employee should be for workers compensation, state required temporary disability insurance, unemployment insurance and required social security, Medicare and state and federal income tax withholdings. As an employee they have rights to all the protections offered by state and federal law and regulations as are available to employees of other industries. There are some individuals classified as independent contractors based on the circumstances of the assignment and the duties.

Do temporary employees have access to medical and other benefits?
As with every other industry, individual businesses have the choice of what benefits that it can offer to the temporary employees and the sharing of the cost of those benefits. The vast majority of firms offer some form of access to health insurance however these choices are limited to what the insurance industry in New Jersey allows for temporary employees. Some firms offer holidays and vacation pay as well.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT STAFFING IN NEW JERSEY

• New Jersey staffing companies employed 301,658 people for temporary or contract work in 2006. The average tenure was approximately 12 weeks.

• In New Jersey, 107,035 temporary and contract employees bridged to permanent jobs in 2006.

• In 2006, New Jersey temporary staffing firms employed an average of 72,167 temporary and contract employees per day, while New Jersey direct hire firms employed 14, 276 employees.

• New Jersey temporary staffing firms generated more than $1.8 billion in annual payroll in 2006 while direct Hire staffing firms generated $400 million in 2006 for a total of 2.2 billion in annual payroll in 2006.

• Temporary staffing firms operate some 990 offices throughout the state, each contributing to the vitality of New Jersey’s economy. There are 632 direct hire employment agencies in New Jersey for a total of 1,622 staffing firms in New Jersey.