Most staffing surprises come from things nobody asked about: conversion fees, minimum hours, overtime billing and who is responsible for what. Take these questions to every general staffing agency you call, write the answers side by side, and get the important ones in writing.
Typical timing (rule of thumb): often days for common roles.
The Questions
- What is the bill rate, and how much of it reaches the worker as pay?
- Who handles payroll, payroll taxes, workers' compensation and unemployment insurance?
- What is the conversion fee if we hire the worker directly, and when does it drop to zero?
- What is the replacement guarantee if someone does not work out?
- Which job types do you fill most often in this area?
- How do you screen candidates, and can we see what checks were run?
- How quickly can you fill a role like ours, and how many people could you send?
- Is there a minimum number of hours per assignment?
- What happens to overtime billing?
- Who is our day-to-day contact?
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Tips
- Tell the agency the pay rate you are willing to fund, not just the bill rate; good workers follow pay.
- A written job description with shift, duties and dress code cuts no-shows.
- Ask two agencies for the same role and compare the markup, not only the hourly price.
Before You Sign
- Check the rate, start date, job duties and work location in the agreement.
- Read the conversion, cancellation and overtime terms.
- Agree who trains, who supervises and who reports injuries.
- Keep the signed copy where your payroll or HR person can find it.