During the winter holidays, a lot of retailers wouldn’t survive without an influx of seasonal workers. This year alone, retailers are expected to hire up to 650,000 temporary workers to get through.
Unfortunately, seasonal workers are particularly vulnerable to serious workplace injuries for a multitude of reasons. Here are a few.
Limited training times
It’s not uncommon for seasonal help to be “thrown into action” without the same kind of training that’s given to other new employees throughout the year. The training periods for seasonal workers tend to be highly informal and condensed – when they get any real training at all. That doesn’t give the employee a chance to become familiar with the work environment, the equipment, safety procedures and other aspects of the job. For that reason alone, temp workers can end up stepping into harm’s way and getting hurt.
High-pressure environments
In retail, seasonal workers are hired to handle the intense shopping season. The uptick in customer traffic and demand can create high-pressure situations. Employees (including temp workers) are often pushed to work longer, faster and harder than the norm. The physical and mental strain can be taxing, and employees can easily end up making mistakes that lead to serious injuries.
Inadequate personal protective equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) can range from steel-toed boots and braces designed for lifting to safety goggles and work gloves. However, temp employees may find themselves working without any of these, even if they really need them. Employers sometimes don’t bother investing in the PPE that’s needed for employees who will only be around for a few weeks. Most temp workers don’t have their own (and shouldn’t be required to bring them).
If you’re a seasonal worker who is injured on the job here in California, you have the same right as any other employee to workers’ compensation benefits. Do not let anyone tell you that you cannot file a claim because you’re “just a temp.” If you encounter trouble with your workers’ comp claim, legal guidance is available.