4 Precautions to Take When Hiring Temporary Workers This Summer

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By Megan Lacombe

Topics: Hiring

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4_Precautions_To_Take_When_Hiring_Temporary_Workers_This_SummerSummer can be a busy season for some industries. Other industries may not experience the same boom, but they face other challenges, such as vacations and managing leaves. In both cases, many businesses are looking to hire for the summer months.

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Hiring temporary workers on a seasonal basis is a popular move. This helps many businesses across Canada fill their needs throughout the summer months. Whether you experience a busy season from June to September, or you merely need to fill in the gaps as your employees take their vacations, temporary workers are a great solution.

Hiring temporary workers can sometimes have its challenges. You’ll want to take a few precautions when you decide to hire on a temporary basis this summer. Here are a few to keep in mind.


1. Be Sure to Provide Safety Training

The staffing agency and employer are responsible for making sure safety is up to par at work sites, and that thorough safety training is provided to all workers, whether temporary or permanent.

In the past, it was thought that temporary agencies were solely responsible for providing safety training. This is not true. It is the responsibility of the employer as well as the staffing agency.

If you do not provide adequate training to all of your workers, you can be fined. Worst case scenario, you could fail to protect the people who work for you.

You must provide safety training to all of your employees, whether they are temporary or permanent.


2. Check the Fine Print

While this advice is often given to temporary workers themselves, it’s a good idea for employers to check the fine print of any contract they enter into when hiring temporary workers, whether through an agency or on their own.

Why do you need to look at the fine details as the employer? While most contracts will be written in your favour, you may find some concerning clauses. You want to make sure that all agreements made in the contract abide by the law.

At Liberty Staffing, we make sure that your interests are at the forefront of any contract. Your business is a partnership, and we want to make sure that you agree to and fully understand the contract. All of our contracts follow Ontario Ministry of Labour legislations for workers.


3. Review Dismissal Policies

One particular point employers should pay attention to is the length of the contract. In recent years, there have been several legal battles across the country fought over employers ending fixed-term contracts prematurely.

You’ll want to ensure you have an option to end a contract early. While hiring a temporary worker is often a good way to “try out” an employee before signing them on long term, a fixed-term contract can lock you in.

Unless you have a just cause for dismissal, you could be required to pay the employee for the remainder of the contract. For example, if you hire someone for three months, but let them go one month in, you need to pay them for the remaining two months of the contract.


4. Work with a Staffing Agency

Once you have considered these precautions, and you’re ready to hire temporary workers this summer, be sure to work with a staffing agency.

If this is your first time hiring temporary workers, or you’ve had trouble hiring before, it may be time to work with a staffing agency. They’re experts on recruiting temporary workers and partnering with employers looking to hire. They can help you navigate the hiring process this summer.

Hiring temporary workers for the summer season can be a smart business move. Work with Liberty Staffing, and it could very well be the smartest move you make all year.


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Megan Lacombe

Megan is a Media Communications professional at Liberty Staffing. She has experience working as a Freelance Writer for a variety of companies online. In her free time, she enjoys crafting, photography, running, and kayaking. An avid reader, she reads anything, anywhere. She puts creativity and passion into everything that she does. Her favourite quote is “Create the things you wish existed” by Anonymous.

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