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The rise of the contingent workforce

Posted on July 2nd, 2013 Read time: 1 minutes

Temporary workers are driving the economic recovery. As is often the case, the contingent staffing industry is experiencing the greatest increases in hiring as companies begin to engage in tentative expansion. The number of temporary workers has reached a record high of 2.7 million, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

The benefits of this kind of employment for temporary and contract workers include the possibility of being hired permanently, as well as a schedule that can be much more flexible than in permanent positions. Contingent workers are also good for companies that may not be able to commit to enlarging their staff on a long-term basis but require extra help nonetheless.

According to Time magazine, the Affordable Care Act is also driving temporary employment up, as businesses prefer to outsource human resources functions like benefits management to firms that have the time and experience to handle the changes in the law.

Contingent workers can be an excellent choice for many organizations, and contingent employment can be a boon to laborers as well. As the industry expands, more and more jobs are being created on a contingent basis, from legal to factory work.

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