Private employment agencies i.e. staffing companies are looking for employees for their client companies operating in different industries. Once an employee has been found, the employment contract can be made directly with the client company or the work can be done as temporary agency work. Below we explain what temporary agency work is and why it is a good choice.
WHAT IS TEMPORARY AGENCY WORK?
- In temporary agency work, a company (client company i.e. user-company) that needs employees makes a contract with a staffing company to rent such employees. The staffing company hires an employee and rents them out to the client company. The staffing company is the temporary agency worker’s employer and therefore pays the salary, among other things. The client company manages and supervises the work of the temporary agency worker.
WHY IS TEMPORARY AGENCY WORK A GOOD CHOICE?
- You can get temporary agency work very quickly. There are many vacancies in staffing companies and you can apply for more than one at the same time if you want to. Temporary agency work can be part-time or full-time, fixed-term or permanent. This brings flexibility for different situations in life. Flexibility in working hours, for example, means you can easily combine work, study and leisure.
WHAT TYPES OF TEMPORARY AGENCY WORK ARE AVAILABLE?
- There are many vacancies in staffing companies and temporary agency work is available in almost all fields. Such work gives you the opportunity to try out different jobs and work in different client companies. Getting to know different fields allows you to network in working life and gain a wide range of work experience. Through temporary agency work, you can also get access to jobs you would not otherwise hear about. Gaining work experience also improves your chances of progressing to more responsible positions.
WHAT ARE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF TEMPORARY AGENCY WORK?
- As a temporary agency worker, you have the same working conditions as anyone else working for the same company, because the same collective agreement applies. Therefore, the main terms and conditions for pay and other things are determined by the same principles. These include sick pay, annual holiday benefits, work-related allowances such as evening work allowance and pay for family leave. Your pension will accrue in the same way as for other jobs.
WHAT ARE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS?
- Agreements between employer- and employee organisations are called collective agreements. In them, the parties agree terms and conditions for working in a particular industry that are more detailed than what is stated in law. At the beginning of the employment relationship, the employee should be told which collective agreement will apply. Collective agreements can be found at https://www.finlex.fi/fi/viranomaiset/tyoehto/ (in Finnish only)
WHAT HAPPENS IF I FALL ILL DURING MY AGENCY EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP?
- As a temporary agency worker, you are entitled to the same sick pay as other workers. If you fall ill, the staffing company as your employer will pay you sick pay. In addition to the Employment Contracts Act, sick pay is covered by several collective agreements. Therefore, the provisions on sick pay should always be checked in the applicable collective agreement.
DO I ACCRUE ANNUAL HOLIDAY FROM TEMPORARY AGENCY WORK?
- As with other types of employment, you accrue annual holiday when you work as a temporary agency worker. The timing of your annual holiday is agreed with your employer. However, if your employment relationship is short, you will not usually have time to take annual holiday during your employment. In that case, your annual holiday is replaced by holiday compensation paid to you at the end of your employment. The amount of holiday compensation is equal to holiday pay.
HOW DOES THE STAFFING COMPANY PROCESS YOUR DATA?
- An employer may only collect data about a jobseeker and employee that is necessary for the employment relationship. In principle, you provide the data to be collected, so the employer is not allowed to search for information about you, for example on the internet, without your consent. Your data will be stored carefully and only for as long as necessary. It will only be shared with other companies with your consent.
WHY CHOOSE AS AN EMPLOYER A COMPANY THAT IS A MEMBER OF EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRY FINLAND?
- If your employer is a member of Employment Industry Finland (HELA), it is committed to the industry’s principles of conduct and responsibility. These principles are intended to pay particular attention to the rights of employees and to acting as a responsible employer. This means that the staffing company handles recruitment professionally, treats employees fairly and has a good personnel policy.
WHY ACCEPT TEMPORARY AGENCY WORK?
- Temporary agency work makes it easy to get a job. Doing any job – including temporary agency work – will significantly improve your chances of getting another job in the future, as employers value all work experience and a good attitude.In temporary agency work, as in other employment relationships, the duration of the employment is determined by the length of time the job is available.Temporary work offers a variety of jobs for people in different situations in life. You can also do it as a permanent employment relationship. Even if the initial employment is of a shorter duration, it can often lead to another job.
