The Business Ethics and Temporary Worker Ombudsman published its 8^th report about staffing activity in Portugal and the report predicts that the temporary employment industry will recover and grow in 2016.

The ombudsman of business ethics and the temporary worker was created in 2007 by the Portuguese Association of Private Employment Sector Companies (APESPE) to help disseminate, protect and promote the rights and interests of temporary workers and to collaborate with public authorities and companies in the good regulation of the temporary work sector. APESPE is a member of Ciett (International Confederation of Private Employment Agencies) and its European arm Eurociett.

"This confirms the idea that when the economy starts to grow, to react to crisis, to have better performance levels, this reflects immediately through the use of temporary workers” Vitalino Canas, Ombudsman for Business Ethics and Temporary Work, said.

In Portugal, employment grew by 1.1% in Q1 compared to the previous year while GDP grew 0.9% in Q1 compared to the previous year, according to Eurostat, the statistical body of the European Union.

“The changes in the public perception of what is temporary work, what is the reality of the sector and the different companies needs to go hand in hand to proper and effective regulation in the context of a market overview of work in Portugal,” Afonso Carvalho, President of APESPE-RH, said. “This is the correct path. It is also why the effort that the industry has made ​​to better regulate in order to be demanding with itself, with its practices, is a fundamental principle.”

“We know it's not always easy to manage the tripartite relationship between private employment agencies, workers and user companies,” Carvalho said. “Our association continues believing that the Ombudsman is a key part in the strategy designed for this mandate and recommended to all workers employed by the members of APESPE-RH when they need some clarification.”

For the full report, click here.