Challenges Facing Temp Workers Include Wage Theft, Less Protection

Friday, September 1, 2017 | 0

Almost 95% of U.S. net employment growth from 2005 to 2015 occurred in a category that Harvard and Princeton researchers call "alternative work," which includes temp workers, on-call workers, independent contractors and freelancers.

Temp workers' precarious position in the workforce brings many challenges, including decreased workplace protections and the threat of wage theft, sexual harassment and racial discrimination by managers who view the workers as, as one temp worker put it, "just a number," NBC News reported in a lengthy piece on the temp work industry published Thursday.

Some workers spoke of being afraid to report workplace accidents for fear of being labeled a DNR, or "Do Not Return," by their temp agency.

"I had suffered accidents at other jobs, but I would never say anything. I stayed quiet," Enedina Zacarias said. "Once I fainted after being hit on the head with a box, but I never said anything."

Illinois, California and Massachusetts, all states with high immigrant populations, have made moves to expand temp workers' rights in recent years.