How to Hire Temporary Workers
Use a staffing or recruitment firm., Locate employees through social media connections., Advertise your job on social media., Check with local colleges., Ask current employees for recommendations., Interview potential candidates., Run a background...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use a staffing or recruitment firm.
Some staffing firms may appear to cost you a bit more money when hiring a temporary employee.
However, in the long run a staffing firm may handle a number of tasks and legal requirements that allow an employer to streamline the hiring process and not overburden your human resources person.
Some of the benefits of a staffing agency include:
Help you quickly fill a position.
Prescreen applicants to ensure that they meet your basic requirements.
Test applicants to ensure that they have computer or other necessary skills.
Provide training for potential employees.
Pay the employee and manage tax obligations. -
Step 2: Locate employees through social media connections.
If you prefer to hire without the aid of a staffing agency, consider looking for employees through mutual connections on your social networks.
Websites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, may allow you to locate potential employees that are recommended from known colleagues or friends., Some social networking websites, such as Facebook, allow you to advertise your position and target the position towards certain demographics.
For example, if you are looking for summer help, you can target your advertisements towards college-aged students.
This may help you quickly find people who are interested in seasonal or temporary work., If you are looking for seasonal work, consider reaching out to the career services departments of local colleges.
These schools may be have job boards for students looking for summer work or work over the winter break.
This may allow you to more easily target seasonal job applicant pools, while also creating employment relationships for future full-time positions., Your current employees may be a good recruiting source for temporary workers.
They may be able to make a personal recommendation or they may be able to use their own social networks to advertise for the position.
This extends your recruiting reach without having to hire a staffing agency., While it may seem obvious that you would interview potential temporary employees, some employers when using a staffing agency may think that this step is unnecessary.
However, even with temporary employees it is important to personally judge whether the person would be a good fit for the workplace.
When interviewing a potential employee, consider asking the following:
What interested you in this temporary position? What would you like to learn in this job? Are you hoping to transition to a full-time position? Describe a time that you made a mistake at your job and what you learned from the situation.
Describe your ideal work environment., Before hiring a temporary employee, you should consider running a criminal history check that should include additional background information.
This helps you ensure that you are hiring someone who has not committed crimes that call into question his or her integrity or honesty.
If you are using a staffing agency, ask the agency whether it has already run a background check.
Many agencies provide this service for their clients., If you regularly hire seasonal workers, consider reaching out to people you have hired in the past for seasonal work to see whether they are interested in returning.
By hiring known workers, you cut down on the hiring process and you also know the type of person who will be joining your company.
Many college students who are home on break may want to return to seasonal work.
By hiring previous employees, you also cut down on job training., When choosing between candidates, you may want to choose a candidate with fewer skills but who exhibits a “can do” attitude.
Often with temporary work, you need workers who are willing to throw themselves into the work in order to get up to speed quickly.
A person who is excited for the opportunity and who appears to be able to think quickly on his or her feet may be a better temporary hire than someone who has slightly more training or experience., It is important that you can distinguish between the categories of temporary employees before you hire someone.
Depending on the type of employee, you may have different legal requirements.
Temporary employees are not independent contractors and therefore you need to comply with a variety of employment and tax regulations.
Part-time employees are generally paid an hourly wage and are required to comply with all company rules and regulations.
Typically, part-time workers are not entitled to company benefits such as health benefits, vacation or sick time.
Temporary employees, also called temps, are generally hired to fill a gap in employment needs because of a worker on leave or to cover a position until a full-time hire can be made.
Temporary employees may work full time or part time and although they are not necessarily entitled to company benefits, some staffing agencies provide these benefits to their workers.
Seasonal workers are hired on a part-time basis when employers need extra help at a particular time of year.
For example retail-clothing stores may hire seasonal workers during the holiday shopping season.
As with other temporary employees, employers must comply with federal and state laws., All employers are required to verify their new employees identity and eligibility to work in the U.S.
Prospective employees must complete a federal form I-9 and the employer must certify that employee has provided sufficient documentation of his or her right to work.
The form must be completed no later that 3 days after an employee is hired., All employees must complete state tax forms and a federal form W-4.
This document sets forth the amount of taxes that an employee will have withheld from each paycheck.
Employers must withhold taxes even if an employee fails to complete a W-4 or state income tax return.If an employee is being paid through a staffing agency, the agency should have the employee fill out these forms and then would be required to withhold income taxes. , Even though an employee may be temporary, employers must still provide training so that the worker can perform his or her work duties in a safe manner.
Aside from safety, it is important for companies to provide temporary employees with enough training so that the employees can work efficiently and provide the level of work that the company requires of its full time employees.
Even if an employee is hired through a staffing agency, the employer as well as the staffing agency are required to comply with all workplace safety regulations., Each state has different laws that specify whether an employer needs to offer unemployment benefits for temporary workers.
Generally, employers are required to offer unemployment benefits to temporary workers but may not be required to offer the benefits to seasonal workers.
It is important that you check with your state’s department of labor to ensure that you are following the law., Regardless of whether the employee is part time, seasonal or temporary, all employers must withhold Social Security and Medicare taxes from employee’s income.
If you hire through a staffing agency and the agency pays the employee’s wages, an employer may not be responsible for withholding taxes.
If the employee is technically employed by the agency, the agency should withhold the required taxes., Federal laws that prohibit harassment, discrimination and workplace health and safety are equally applicable to seasonal and full time employees.
Employers must comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act, which requires that part-time and full-time employees be paid minimum wage and overtime pay.
Employers are also required to comply with all record-keeping rules and regulations. -
Step 3: Advertise your job on social media.
-
Step 4: Check with local colleges.
-
Step 5: Ask current employees for recommendations.
-
Step 6: Interview potential candidates.
-
Step 7: Run a background check on your potential employee.
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Step 8: Recruit people who have worked for you in the past.
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Step 9: Hire someone with a good attitude.
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Step 10: Recognize the types of temporary employees.
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Step 11: Complete an employment eligibility verification form (I-9).
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Step 12: Fill out state and federal tax forms.
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Step 13: Give job training.
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Step 14: Determine whether you have to offer unemployment benefits.
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Step 15: Withhold Social Security and Medicare.
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Step 16: Comply with laws regarding harassment
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Step 17: discrimination
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Step 18: and workplace safety.
Detailed Guide
Some staffing firms may appear to cost you a bit more money when hiring a temporary employee.
However, in the long run a staffing firm may handle a number of tasks and legal requirements that allow an employer to streamline the hiring process and not overburden your human resources person.
Some of the benefits of a staffing agency include:
Help you quickly fill a position.
Prescreen applicants to ensure that they meet your basic requirements.
Test applicants to ensure that they have computer or other necessary skills.
Provide training for potential employees.
Pay the employee and manage tax obligations.
If you prefer to hire without the aid of a staffing agency, consider looking for employees through mutual connections on your social networks.
Websites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, may allow you to locate potential employees that are recommended from known colleagues or friends., Some social networking websites, such as Facebook, allow you to advertise your position and target the position towards certain demographics.
For example, if you are looking for summer help, you can target your advertisements towards college-aged students.
This may help you quickly find people who are interested in seasonal or temporary work., If you are looking for seasonal work, consider reaching out to the career services departments of local colleges.
These schools may be have job boards for students looking for summer work or work over the winter break.
This may allow you to more easily target seasonal job applicant pools, while also creating employment relationships for future full-time positions., Your current employees may be a good recruiting source for temporary workers.
They may be able to make a personal recommendation or they may be able to use their own social networks to advertise for the position.
This extends your recruiting reach without having to hire a staffing agency., While it may seem obvious that you would interview potential temporary employees, some employers when using a staffing agency may think that this step is unnecessary.
However, even with temporary employees it is important to personally judge whether the person would be a good fit for the workplace.
When interviewing a potential employee, consider asking the following:
What interested you in this temporary position? What would you like to learn in this job? Are you hoping to transition to a full-time position? Describe a time that you made a mistake at your job and what you learned from the situation.
Describe your ideal work environment., Before hiring a temporary employee, you should consider running a criminal history check that should include additional background information.
This helps you ensure that you are hiring someone who has not committed crimes that call into question his or her integrity or honesty.
If you are using a staffing agency, ask the agency whether it has already run a background check.
Many agencies provide this service for their clients., If you regularly hire seasonal workers, consider reaching out to people you have hired in the past for seasonal work to see whether they are interested in returning.
By hiring known workers, you cut down on the hiring process and you also know the type of person who will be joining your company.
Many college students who are home on break may want to return to seasonal work.
By hiring previous employees, you also cut down on job training., When choosing between candidates, you may want to choose a candidate with fewer skills but who exhibits a “can do” attitude.
Often with temporary work, you need workers who are willing to throw themselves into the work in order to get up to speed quickly.
A person who is excited for the opportunity and who appears to be able to think quickly on his or her feet may be a better temporary hire than someone who has slightly more training or experience., It is important that you can distinguish between the categories of temporary employees before you hire someone.
Depending on the type of employee, you may have different legal requirements.
Temporary employees are not independent contractors and therefore you need to comply with a variety of employment and tax regulations.
Part-time employees are generally paid an hourly wage and are required to comply with all company rules and regulations.
Typically, part-time workers are not entitled to company benefits such as health benefits, vacation or sick time.
Temporary employees, also called temps, are generally hired to fill a gap in employment needs because of a worker on leave or to cover a position until a full-time hire can be made.
Temporary employees may work full time or part time and although they are not necessarily entitled to company benefits, some staffing agencies provide these benefits to their workers.
Seasonal workers are hired on a part-time basis when employers need extra help at a particular time of year.
For example retail-clothing stores may hire seasonal workers during the holiday shopping season.
As with other temporary employees, employers must comply with federal and state laws., All employers are required to verify their new employees identity and eligibility to work in the U.S.
Prospective employees must complete a federal form I-9 and the employer must certify that employee has provided sufficient documentation of his or her right to work.
The form must be completed no later that 3 days after an employee is hired., All employees must complete state tax forms and a federal form W-4.
This document sets forth the amount of taxes that an employee will have withheld from each paycheck.
Employers must withhold taxes even if an employee fails to complete a W-4 or state income tax return.If an employee is being paid through a staffing agency, the agency should have the employee fill out these forms and then would be required to withhold income taxes. , Even though an employee may be temporary, employers must still provide training so that the worker can perform his or her work duties in a safe manner.
Aside from safety, it is important for companies to provide temporary employees with enough training so that the employees can work efficiently and provide the level of work that the company requires of its full time employees.
Even if an employee is hired through a staffing agency, the employer as well as the staffing agency are required to comply with all workplace safety regulations., Each state has different laws that specify whether an employer needs to offer unemployment benefits for temporary workers.
Generally, employers are required to offer unemployment benefits to temporary workers but may not be required to offer the benefits to seasonal workers.
It is important that you check with your state’s department of labor to ensure that you are following the law., Regardless of whether the employee is part time, seasonal or temporary, all employers must withhold Social Security and Medicare taxes from employee’s income.
If you hire through a staffing agency and the agency pays the employee’s wages, an employer may not be responsible for withholding taxes.
If the employee is technically employed by the agency, the agency should withhold the required taxes., Federal laws that prohibit harassment, discrimination and workplace health and safety are equally applicable to seasonal and full time employees.
Employers must comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act, which requires that part-time and full-time employees be paid minimum wage and overtime pay.
Employers are also required to comply with all record-keeping rules and regulations.
About the Author
Rachel Rogers
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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