Many companies that use contingent workers maintain policies
that limit the duration of those workers' services. Under these
policies, when a contingent worker reaches a prescribed time limit,
that person's services must be terminated automatically,
regardless of the person's job performance, and a replacement
worker must be found or assigned by a contingent labor
supplier.
While such term limiting policies may be well intended, they are
not grounded in well-defined legal rules. As a result, there is
little consistency in the policies that staffing clients have
imposed. Some companies require replacement of contingent workers
after a certain number of hours worked, but the maximum number of
hours varies greatly, from just under 1000 to 4160, with many
different rules in between. Others link limitations to the
calendar, such as with 12-, 24-, or 36-month limits. After
contingent workers are removed, additional rules may govern how
soon they may return, varying from 31
