The European Parliament voted to require that temporary workers engaged through temporary agencies receive the same pay as traditional full-time workers. Temps will also get equal treatment as far as working conditions such as holidays, rest periods and maternity leave.

Temps' equal benefits must start day one in most of the European Union. Although equal pay and benefits for the 1.3 million temps in the United Kingdom will begin after 12 weeks.

The new rules were first proposed in 2002. There are 3 million temporary workers employed through temporary agencies in Europe, according to the European Commission.