Temporary work makes people sick more often

Temporary work makes people sick more often

07/13/2011

According to the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) temporary employment leads to an increased sickness rate among employees. This is due to poor pay and mostly unacceptable working conditions.

Temporary workers are ill more often
According to an internal evaluation of patient data of the Techniker Krankenkasse, temporary employment makes people ill more often. In the last year, temporary workers were on average 15 days legally certified ill. Employees were less ill compared to a good 3.5 days in 2010. Around 806,000 people currently work in temporary employment agencies in Germany.

Andreas T. did not become ill, but the 18 months of work in a temporary work agency have really hurt him. "It was a turbulent time when I worked as a warehouse employee in three different factories, which meant I had to commute a lot, which was a matter of substance," recalls the young man. Above all, it is the situation of the employees that is being burdened. According to the health insurance, the agency work itself is the trigger for the increased sick leave. However, the representatives of the Federal Employers' Association of Personnel Service Providers (BAP) do not want to leave this point that way. They point out that the data of the health insurance „not representative“ are. According to spokesman Michael Wehran, a large proportion of contract workers would be performing physically demanding work. Therefore temporary workers are on average more frequently ill than others.

Often back pain and depression
The TK-Kasse does not contradict this argument and refers itself to the circumstance of the sometimes physically strenuous activities. But also a lower payment and constantly changing locations would make the insured to bother. This is also reflected in the data. A majority of sufferers suffered from muscular and skeletal complaints such as back pain or low back pain. These symptoms caused a good 3.4 missing days per capita in the last year. An increase in mental illness could also fix the health insurance. Each agency worker spent an average of two days on sick leave due to burnout, depression, sleep disturbances, or other mental illness. „Often people are under enormous pressure. They are afraid to fall back into Hartz IV. People are experiencing profound insecurity, are experiencing existential fears“. Most frequently, pipe installers were missing in the job. The TC calculated here an average absence of 22 days a year. (Sb)

Also read:
Uni-Klinik Essen abandons temporary worker model
Hartz IV: Health insurance companies have to check 1 Euro jobs

Picture: Guedo