Workers needed for just a few days. What options do employers have?

An extra delivery, an urgent order or a few days of piled-up work may call for more staff, even though the company does not need additional permanent employees. In such situations it is possible to use temporary work for even a few days. Polish law does not set a minimum period for performing temporary work. This does not mean, however, that every short-term staffing need automatically justifies using this solution. What is decisive is the nature of the tasks entrusted and compliance with the statutory conditions.

Three days, a week, a month. The act sets no minimum period

Temporary work is associated mainly with seasonal increases in headcount in production, logistics or retail. Yet the regulations also allow it to be used for tasks that take much less time. The Act of 9 July 2003 on the Employment of Temporary Workers does not provide for a general minimum period for which a worker is assigned to a company. It is therefore possible to perform temporary work for a few days, provided the other statutory conditions are met.

– A company does not always need additional workers for several months. Sometimes it is about fulfilling a specific order, handling a larger delivery or doing work that cannot be finished on time with the existing staff. The regulations allow temporary work to be used in such situations too. It is important, however, that the nature of the tasks entrusted really matches the statutory definition of temporary work – explains Anna Dzhobolda, strategic advisor of the recruitment department at Gremi Personal.

The mere fact that a company needs extra people for a short time does not in itself settle whether temporary work can be used. A business owner should first establish what tasks they intend to entrust to the workers and why those tasks need to be done within a particular time.

When can a company use short-term temporary work?

The act specifies three categories of tasks that may be performed as temporary work.

The first covers seasonal, periodic or ad hoc work. An example could be additional handling of deliveries during a period of increased orders, or short-term work connected with a particular stage of the company’s operations.

The second concerns tasks that the company’s employees would not be able to perform by the required deadline. Such a situation may arise, for example, with an additional production order requiring a temporary increase in staffing.

The third possibility is replacing an absent employee. Temporary work can also be used to provide cover for the duration of that employee’s absence.

In every case, the other statutory restrictions on entrusting temporary work must also be taken into account. It is therefore not enough simply to describe an assignment as short-term.

A short assignment does not remove the need to prepare the worker

Using temporary work for a few days does not mean that all employment-related obligations are simplified. If the agency employs a temporary worker under an employment contract, then before it is concluded the user employer and the agency must agree in writing, among other things, the type of work entrusted, the required qualifications, the expected period of performing the duties, the working time and the place of work.

The user employer is responsible for ensuring safe and hygienic working conditions, including carrying out the required occupational health and safety (BHP) training and providing the necessary personal protective equipment. The scope of other obligations relating to occupational safety should be agreed accordingly with the agency.

For short assignments, preparing the worker before they start their duties therefore takes on particular importance. If the work is to last three or five days, the time needed to organise the workstation and complete formalities should be taken into account already when planning the cooperation.

Five things a business should agree with the agency

Before using short-term temporary work, it is worth checking five basic points:

1. Nature of the tasks. Is the planned work seasonal, periodic or ad hoc, does it serve to perform tasks the company’s own employees cannot complete on time, or to cover for an absent person?

2. Number of workers needed. How many additional workers are really needed to carry out the specified tasks?

3. Timing and scope of work. For what period are the workers to be assigned, and on what working-time basis will they perform their duties?

4. Required qualifications. What skills, experience or entitlements are necessary to carry out the entrusted tasks?

5. Conditions for starting work. Are the workstations ready, and can the required formalities and training be completed before the workers are admitted to their duties?

– With short-term demand for staff, what matters most is defining the company’s needs well. The agency should receive clear information about the type of tasks, the number of workers, the required qualifications and the completion date. This makes it possible to prepare the cooperation properly and reduce the risk of organisational problems once work has begun – stresses Anna Dzhobolda of Gremi Personal.

Temporary work can therefore be used not only for multi-week or seasonal staffing needs, but also for carrying out short tasks. A business should, however, remember that what determines whether this solution is permissible is the statutory conditions, not the mere length of the assignment. Proper preparation of cooperation with the agency makes it possible to use the opportunities offered by temporary work in line with the regulations and the company’s organisational needs.