any luck with temp agencies?

[bobbygedd]

how much does it usually cost for an employee thru a temp service? and have you had any luck with them?

[lawnman_scott]

Are you looking for someone semi-sober that looks homeless? I used to mow a place like that. Every morning they stand outside and wait to be picked. What do they do different when the 2 guys with blowers come towards them? Nothing. I had never seen people watch you blow, as you are blowing towards them. I was dumbfounded.

[wojo23323]

I've used a few. Had to pay about $11 per hour. That included their pay, workers comp and taxes. I will only use them to spread mulch. They are not the smartest peanuts in the turd.

[The Dude]

You don't get the cream of the crop, thats for sure. But if all you need is mindless labor, like for doing a big mulch job, go for it.

I am sure there are good people to be had, but they are few and far between.

[Lawn Dog2001]

I do some work occasionally for a sales rep for Labor Ready. We sat down and went over some numbers last year. They bill out theyre laborers at $10 an hour. For that price they take care of everything, workmans comp, taxes and anything that goes into having an employee they bare the expence of. They also will drop off and pick up they're guys at your jobsite.

I never did end up using them yet. I dont know how well it would work for lawn maintenance. If I ever needed help on a large Landscaping install I might give them a shot. I also have a friend who runs a large logistics company in Texas. They use temp labor from Labor Ready and ManPower all the time. He told me you can talk those companies down in price some if you use them often enough.

[o-so-n-so]

I had a hard time paying $11.++ an hour for a dead beat. If you could get someone that was just half productive you might make it work. Not me. Everyday was a training session, Had to start all the hand helds for him...every time. Cig's and phone constantly.....no brains or they were fried like an egg.

A very good concept if you could get a good one and keep him but most temp workers seem to be lazier than dirt and afraid of the sun.

[Creative Lawn Care]

I know I will be criticized for this, but yesterday I had 140 bales of pine needles to put out. It rained here today so it had to be finished yesterday. I just went by the homeless shelter here in town and picked up 3 decent guys. Let them ride in the back of the truck. I paid them $7 an hour and bought them lunch. Needles were spread in just over 4 hours and all I did was pick up the strings and rake the edges in. Not somthing I would do everyday but it sure worked out ok for me yesterday in a pinch

[Turfdude]

I haven't, but know of others who have used labor ready. As noted before - not the brightest bulbs in the circuit.

[SodKing]

I have used temp agencies on occasion. Not worth it. Its either too hot, cold, wet, not what they thought or some Latin American holiday so they want to go home...Never again.

Also, when I did call the local branch of Labor Ready they promised me 6 workers by 8am and couldn't get one there...

[Jason Rose]

Think of it like this, they are too lazy of dumb to go out and actually get a job or start a business venture of their own. Do you think they are going to jump and want to work??? I worked at a greenhouse a few years ago and the owner tried using a temp service for busy times. HA, we were honestly better off without them. If nothing else, since we weren't the ones paying them, we got to laugh at them. they all thought they were gangsters and thugs. I guess maybe they were tough around their peers, the rest of the hopeless losers...

It's sad, but there are people out there that are legitmetly down on their luck and have had to resort to going to a temp service to find work to pay their bills and take care of their families. I have seen that scenereo too. these people are hard working and will do anything. They are out there, but usually they get heald onto by the first employer that finds them!

[HOOLIE]

We once got a temp who showed up for work with his arm in a sling. He was "returned for a refund" very quickly.

[walker-talker]

I hate temps!!!! Every year, for the last 3 or 4 years we use a temp agency at the factory I work full time for. Every year we need about 40 people. Every year we go through over 300 and never get a decent 40 people. I am not exaggerating any numbers here.

You think you have seen it all, not until you use temps. Just last night we had a temp we call "hillbilly" blew mud in his pants. The kicker is, "hillbilly" said he would hang out until first break...which was about 2.5 hours. We get a few in like that every year. Gotta keep them around just to make you chuckle.

[Appalachian landscape]

are you saying he crapped his pants and wanted to hang around afterwards?

[walker-talker]

We once got a temp who showed up for work with his arm in a sling. He was "returned for a refund" very quickly.I can beat that....earlier this year we had a guy come in with a prostatic leg. About 10 minutes into his shift he gave a good twist and the damn thing fell on the floor. He looked at me and said, "Hey, I don't have a leg to stand on." At least he had a sense of humor. He also had to run out to his car to get his tool kit to put it back together.

[walker-talker]

are you saying he crapped his pants and wanted to hang around afterwards?That's what I am telling ya. Obviously it wasn't a big deal to him. You gotta know 'ol "hillbilly."

[txlawnking]

I hate temps!!!!

You think you have seen it all, not until you use temps. Just last night we had a temp we call "hillbilly" blew mud in his pants. The kicker is, "hillbilly" said he would hang out until first break...which was about 2.5 hours. We get a few in like that every year. Gotta keep them around just to make you chuckle.


That is just plain NASTY!!!!

(we really need a pukin' smiley) :dizzy:

[SOMM]

Another good thread Bobby !

We've had our best successes with temps when we've run an ad in our newspaper a few weeks to a few days before we'll need workers - depending on urgency or the duration of the work. Some temp agencies do this for you inclusive on jobs of more than a 2-3 weeks duration, or if you do volume business with them. "More Pay to More Experienced" is in our ad. We then interview them, and if the prospects interview well - we tell them to report to the temp agency to fill out the fed/state/muny withholding paperwork.
They become employees of the temp agency, and not you - keeping you off your State's workers-comp "band wagon". Your customers can verify the workers- comp coverage with the agency.

We've already set up a 3-tiered payscale with our agency. Beginner with a great attitude, intermediate who is ready to handle more responsibility, and pro who we've qualified as such: $22 per temp-agency hour gets us an $8.50/hour beginner, $23 per temp-agency hour gets us a $9.50/hour intermediate, and $24 per temp-agency hour gets us a $10.50/hour pro. Your locale's pay-rates may need to be different than ours, depending on what it's going to take to interest someone away from fast-food work in the air conditioning! Yeh we've had a couple handfuls of 'bums' reveal themselves from time to time within the first hour - when we send them back to the agency and aren't charged. We're only charged for the actual hours the temps worked with us after that.

Federal Law now requires workers to continue their full hourly wages during any travel-time with your company - whether they're riding with you or following you in their own vehicles ... unless they are meeting at and departing from a singlular jobsite. You're even required to pay them during any equipment-downtime, while they await to complete their tasks.

While we've never had a jobsite accident yet, we've got a proceedure to follow from the temp agency and a seperate phone hotline to them for emergencies. We're required to keep basic first aid supplies onboard truck and then call for an ambulance if they can't depart on their own accord.

Two seasonal full time workers and one part timer continue with us to this day since we expanded 6 years ago with temps. It works real well for us Bobby. We feel a whole lot better: with the credibility it gives our customers, the liability we're freed from, and the workers can get a check that same day from the temp-agency, if they need to. Everbody wins.
Best regards for you as you expand your business through a good temp agency partner!

[olderthandirt]

NO!...........................................................Cost double what worker gets, IE. $15 for agency workers gets $7.50

[Evergreenpros]

Temp labor has it's place and if you plan well, have a good agency, and be realistic in your expectations of the temp labor it works out fine, usually.

Most temp agencies have a free 1/2 hour or 1 hour deal. If you don't like the worker you can send them back in that amount of time, no charge.

Temp labor works well for a solo guy who just needs a little help doing simple tasks, like spreading mulch, raking, picking up leaves etc. Running power equipment is way way past realistic expectations.

Don't expect them to work too hard. It works well if you give them a bonus for getting done in a timely fashion. Giving them $20 each in the morning and telling them they each get another $50 if they get done today works well. But charging $35-45 per hour for general labor, it can pay off to use temp labor.

[TScapes]

There is a Temp Agency here that is predominately a hispanic workforce. There are companies that use these guys for months at a time. I have several friends that have their own Chemical companies, and they use them strictly during the aeration season. They fetch anywhere from $9-11 per hour, and of course that includes everything.

[bobbygedd]

i'm calling one tommorow, i'll let u know the details. now that i think about it, my printing company used them by the boatload, they got some good workers thru them. i know they cost more, but on the upside, if he quits, you order a new one the next day, and they bring you one

[HOOLIE]

There's two big temp agencies here that deal with manual labor types. Checked with one, $14 an hour. Not too bad, considering its no fuss, no muss, no payroll, etc. Of course, remember temp agencies generally will cause you to have "temporary insanity".

True whoever mentioned they are serviceable for mulching, raking, but not so good for mowing.

[freddyc]

Think of it like this, they are too lazy of dumb to go out and actually get a job or start a business venture of their own. Do you think they are going to jump and want to work??? I worked at a greenhouse a few years ago and the owner tried using a temp service for busy times. HA, we were honestly better off without them. If nothing else, since we weren't the ones paying them, we got to laugh at them. they all thought they were gangsters and thugs. I guess maybe they were tough around their peers, the rest of the hopeless losers...

It's sad, but there are people out there that are legitmetly down on their luck and have had to resort to going to a temp service to find work to pay their bills and take care of their families. I have seen that scenereo too. these people are hard working and will do anything. They are out there, but usually they get heald onto by the first employer that finds them!



You dont need to go to a temp agency to find deadbeats---you can hire them direct too. There are good and bad in every bunch. Not everyone who is out of work is a drunk, druggie or child molester.

Some people truly are down on their luck Find the right ones and they will be the best employees you ever saw.

[bobbygedd]

well, i caved. i contracted with a temp service. my man will cost me $15 an hour, 8-4. he can't promise experience, but he did promise " a quick learner." i'll let u know how it pans out.

[Flipperneck]

I'm not doing anything right now. I'm available Mon., Tues., Wed. I am on time sober and have 9 years exp. I'm starting my company down here in Middletown and am off to a slow start. I screwed up with the advertising so it won't be out for a couple weeks. And after that unless it blasts off I could use some steady pay. Let me know. Tuesday(tommorrow) is no good but give me a call 872-7776.


Brad

[CWilliams]

There is a Temp Agency here that is predominately a hispanic workforce. There are companies that use these guys for months at a time. I have several friends that have their own Chemical companies, and they use them strictly during the aeration season. They fetch anywhere from $9-11 per hour, and of course that includes everything.
TScapes, I know the company that you are talking about. We have actually contacted them for this season. If we use them we will pay $9.40 an hour. The employee will be paid $7.00.

[topsites]

You don't get the cream of the crop, thats for sure. But if all you need is mindless labor, like for doing a big mulch job, go for it.

I am sure there are good people to be had, but they are few and far between.

Whoa wait a second, you better order about triple the mulch then, because I hired a guy off the street said he could work hard and do mulch and a tree-man friend of mine said he did ok, well this guy liked to spread mulch about a foot thick (meaning he didn't know wtf he was doing).

Far as the few good people far in between... Yah, what else is new? :-)

Peace

[pagefault]

I've used them many times for assembly line work with no problem. I've also used technical writers and software developers from temp agencies, with no problems. Next week, I'm planning to use some for flyer distribution. There are good ones out there, but they usually get snapped up by the companies that use temps often. When we used them for assembly line work, we got the same people every time, because we requested specific employees.

[Aleman]

Ive used Labor Ready several times this year. Its a crap shoot on who you get. Ive had a few guys that were pretty good, some that were acceptable and one that I sent back after 55 min. He couldnt understand, after repeated instructions,that he should walk "forward" with the edger.