Stop temporary agencies

1 in 10 Canadians in the workforce who are employed are working in what would be considered temporary job.

Between 1989 and 1994, the number of Canadians employed on a temporary basis increased by 21 per cent, from 799,000 to 970,000 workers.

Seventy-five per cent of temporary jobs last less than six months and as a result, many temporary workers are excluded from various legal protections and employee benefits.

Temporary agents are not paid for days away from the job due to sickness, statutory holidays, bereavement or vacation leave, nor are they entitled to severance pay upon termination of their employment.

Employers are not required to pay unemployment insurance premiums or Canada/Quebec Pension Plan premiums on behalf of these workers.

Temporary employment is an important issue with substantial policy implications. Too many workers today are unable to string together enough temporary jobs in a year to provide them with an adequate income or security. Moving from one contract to the next, many individuals are left with only part-time work and irregular hours, and rarely with any of the non-wage benefits like pensions or unemployment insurance.

Clearly the emergence of these new forms of employment has implications for a wide range of policies and programs.

In short, temporary employment in some of its current forms is eroding the economic security of Canadian families.