The German government has made its views on agency and contingent workers clear, stating in a press release that temporary work offers many opportunities, especially for those who find themselves in permanent unemployment.

This response comes after the opposition party Bündnis 90/Die Grünen has asked the Government to provide more information on the working conditions of temporary labourers in the country.  After a study found that those in temporary jobs are frequently sick, having to deal with more physical and psychological risks than their counterparts in permanent employment, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen have questioned the social integration of temporary workers.

The opposition party bases their knowledge on various health studies that outline the risks of temporary employment, such as lower wages, worse working conditions, and little opportunity for further education. Particularly a survey by health insurance firm Techniker Krankenkasse has found that male temporary workers suffer more often from mental problems, exceeding the workforce average by +36%.
 
While job satisfaction is generally lower amongst temporary workers, according to these studies, it is especially the lack of job security that contributes to these findings. A current survey by IAB, a governmental institute dedicated to researching the labour and job market, points out that, after those in permanent unemployment, temporary workers feel the least integrated in society.

The German Government, however, argues that temporary work is the tool to social integration, offering particularly those people in permanent unemployment the means to become integrated in society again.

"We clearly welcome the strong position of the federal Government [towards temporary employment] as this confirms our own view", said Werner Stolz, the chief executive of the German association of staffing agencies (iGZ).