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Temporary workers suffering injuries at alarming rates

A trend is growing more popular across the nation that is changing the face of some industries. There are many reasons for this shift, and of course many conflicting opinions over why it has occurred, but more and more companies are looking towards temporary workers to fulfill their staffing needs.

A Pro Publica report found that blue-collar temporary work is one of the segments of the workforce that is growing at a rapid pace. Specifically, temporary workers are being employed on construction sites, in warehouses or at factories in New Jersey and across the nation. Although companies may be saving money, the job has come at a high cost for many of these temporary workers.

Temporary workers are often placed in a new job and expected to work with little to no training or experience, and they are suffering workplace injuries at an alarming rate. In some states, the increased injury rate is as high as 72 percent over that of regular employees. These injuries include everything from heat stroke to chemical exposure to crushing injuries in industrial accidents.

Not only are these temporary workers suffering injury at a higher rate than regular employees, but they are finding that workers’ compensation benefits are hard to obtain, delayed or denied altogether. In these cases, the companies that train them, control the safety standards on the job site and reap the major benefits of their labor aren’t actually considered the employer. The temp agency is the one that is signing their paycheck.

Navigating cases complicated by any number of factors, from specific circumstances to the law itself, is a skill that makes seeking the assistance of a workers’ compensation attorney in New Jersey so beneficial.

Source: Pro Publica, “Temporary Work, Lasting Harm,” Michael Graball, Olga Pierce and Jeff Larson, Dec. 18, 2013