Temping and agency work abroad

Agency and client company: two contacts, two roles

In a temporary assignment, the agency is your employer: it signs the contract, pays your wages, declares your contributions and answers administrative questions. The client company directs your daily work, sets the rules on site and checks your hours.

This split prevents a lot of confusion, as long as you keep it in mind. For a pay problem, go to the agency. For a safety instruction or a change of task, speak to the supervisor on site. If the two disagree, note the exchanges and keep the written messages.

If both give you contradictory instructions, ask for written confirmation and tell the agency, because it is the agency that answers for you as your employer.

What to get in writing before every placement

An assignment accepted without details quickly becomes a source of disputes. Before you confirm, get in writing the name of the client company, the address, the start date, the expected length, the hours, the job title and the tasks. Ask for the pay rate offered and how often you will be paid.

Find out what equipment is needed, who supplies it, what training is required and whether a site induction is planned. Compare this information with what you were told at your interview with the agency. If something is missing, ask before you travel rather than on arrival.

• Client company, address and a named contact person
• Hours, expected length and tasks assigned
• Pay rate, bonuses and payment frequency
• Protective equipment and induction training

Gaps between assignments: what is not guaranteed

Even a large international agency guarantees neither a chain of assignments nor a number of hours. There may be weeks with no placement, during which no pay is received, depending on the contract and the country. Ask plainly what happens between two jobs.

Build a financial reserve to cover these periods. Stay in regular contact with your agency consultant, update your availability and stay open to slightly different assignments. You may also register with several agencies, if your contract does not forbid it, to smooth out the quiet spells.

Use waiting periods for a short course, a CV update and some research into other sectors. A temp who is available, versatile and well documented is offered work faster than a candidate who has not been in touch for weeks.

Commuting, shift patterns and overtime

Many assignments are in warehouses, factories, building sites or service centres, with shift work, night shifts or weekends. Ask for the exact hours, how overtime is triggered and paid, and who approves your timesheet.

Travel to work is often at your own expense. Check whether the site can be reached by public transport at your hours, or whether you need a vehicle. A site far from any affordable housing can cancel the benefit of a decent hourly rate. Ask before you rent a place.

Write down your real hours every day in a personal notebook, even if the company uses a badge system. This record helps you check your payslip and supports a claim if there is a discrepancy.

Work permits and the status of a foreign temp

Depending on the country, a foreign national may be allowed to do agency work only under particular conditions: a suitable residence permit, restriction to certain sectors, or a duty to report every change of employer. The rules differ from one country to another and from one permit category to another.

Ask the immigration authority and the agency which permit is required before you start. A reputable agency checks your documents and will not let you work without valid authorisation. Avoid any middleman who promises to sort out your status or accepts an assignment without checking your papers.

Insurance, cover and accidents during an assignment

A temp must be covered against workplace accidents and, depending on the country, by health insurance linked to the contract. Ask who provides this cover, how to report an accident and whom to contact if you are hurt on the client company’s site.

Insist on safety training suited to the job, especially for lifting, machinery or work at height. You have the right to report a hazard. An employer that neglects these points puts your health and the whole assignment at risk. Keep every record of your communication with the agency.

Choosing an agency: points of comparison

Large networks such as Adecco, Randstad or ManpowerGroup operate in many countries, but their local practices vary. Assess the agency you contact: physical address, name of the manager, employee reviews, speed of payment and the transparency of the contract.

Turn down any agency that asks you for money for an assignment or a registration. Ask for a sample contract before you travel. If the agency will not answer simple questions about pay or insurance, look for another. A good contact stays reachable during the assignment.

Keep the details of the successive managers you deal with and thank them at the end of an assignment: a well-liked temp is often called back directly when a need arises.

Using temp work as a stepping stone, not a dead end

Agency work is a way to test a country, a sector or an employer. Note what you learn from each placement: methods, tools, vocabulary, contacts. Ask for work certificates and, when possible, a reference from the client company.

If a direct hire interests you, raise it with the supervisor and the agency while respecting the contract rules. Set yourself a deadline, such as a few months, to decide whether to continue or move on. Long-term temping without a plan can trap you in insecure work.