There are hardly any temporary employment agencies among the now tens of thousands of applications for the NOW emergency scheme. This despite a call from both branch organizations ABU and NBBU to their members to apply for the NOW scheme for temporary workers. This scheme is intended to ensure that temporary agency workers are not enrolled en masse or have no income at all. So far only have Randstad en Adecco heeded the call of their trade associations. 

“That means that tens of thousands of temporary workers are at home and are in great uncertainty about their income,” says Erik Pentenga, sector director FNV Compliance and Flex.

The NOW emergency measure applies to all employers, including temporary employment agencies, but they have so far taken little action to provide security of income for their staff. Instead of applying for NOW for temporary workers, they are advised to apply for unemployment benefits. A very undesirable situation because temporary workers, like permanent employees, are also entitled to 100 percent continued payment of their wages using the NOW.

inequality and uncertainty

For many temporary workers, it means that their income is falling considerably or that they are even completely without income. Precisely because of the NOW scheme, this uncertainty and inequality with regard to people with a permanent contract is unnecessary.

Pentenga: 'A temporary worker who was sent home in mid-March because there is no work left says that her income has halved. She continues to receive her contract hours, but has in fact been working double the number of hours for a long time. She cannot pay her bills on half a salary. She has been told by the employment agency that she must apply for unemployment benefit. " 

public transport

In public transport, this involves approximately 2.500 temporary workers who work for the various bus companies. Most of them have been at home since March 15. One of the larger broadcasters in this industry, Consolid, agreed a week ago to apply for the NOW, but to date it has not. Consolid says it is still calculating. In the meantime, the temporary workers have been at home for a number of weeks in great uncertainty. Contracts are being terminated, while all social partners have fought hard to ensure that retention of work and income also applies to temporary workers. At least the 3 months that the NOW scheme runs.

save costs

The main reason for not applying for NOW for temporary workers is to save costs. Pentenga does not feel very supportive and social. Consolid says that it does everything it can to get and keep people working. This should not only be the case when things are going well economically, but also in a crisis like this. Especially if such large-scale support measures have been agreed by the social partners.

Also read: The employment agency pays a fine for all 38 passengers on the bus