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View All NewsGermany – Stagnant labour market negatively impacted temporary worker numbers
The latest figures released by the Federal Employment Agency (BA) revealed that the number of temporary workers fell during 2013. On average, there were 838,820 workers in temporary jobs during 2013, this compares with an average of 877,599 during 2012.
Volker Enkerts, President of the Federal Employer’s Association of Personnel Services (BAP), commented on the development in the industry: “Certainly the difficult economic environment in 2013 contributed to this result. The stagnation of temporary staffing was expected given the stagnation of the overall labour market. In addition, customers are reluctant and uncertain about using temporary workers.”
“Customers have been asking, and are still asking, what is happening [in the temporary staffing industry] after the coalition introduced new regulations for the industry,” he added.
Data from the BA shows that 65% of all temporary workers were unemployed before finding a job via a staffing agency. Of those, 8% had been unemployed for more than a year, and 12% had no previous work experience.
These statistics are the core message that the BA has been repeating for the past few years, that temporary work gives people, who would otherwise find it very difficult, the opportunity to enter the job market.
“I can only warn that the introduction of regulation restricting the use of temporary work will continue. We are the ones who give low-skilled or unskilled people the opportunity to re-enter the labour market and get back to a regular life. We also open up prospects to young people and help them gain work experience. Those calling for further restrictions on the use of temporary work are putting all of this at risk,” Mr Enkerts concluded.