What is Seasonal Employment? Law, Benefits & Tips for HR

Seasonal employment is also known as temporary employment where the employees are recruited seasonally for certain months or a year. It is an ideal opportunity for the people and the organizations.

Whenever people like many teenagers or college students need part-time employment for some extra money they can attend seasonal employment. On the other hand, when companies or start-ups need employees for temporary positions they can arrange temporary employment services, hiring seasonal employees.

In this article, we explain what seasonal work is, provide steps on how to get a seasonal job and explore the pros and cons of this type of position.

What is Seasonal Employment?

Seasonal Employment is a type of job opportunity that provides a provisional change to employees. It is temporary and typically available during any company urgency or a specific time or season of the year.

It involves hiring employees to meet short-term demands that arise due to variations in business activities, weather conditions, or specific events that occur during certain seasons. Many businesses like tourism, agriculture, the retail industry, tax preparation, and event management use the seasonal employment process for temporary hiring.

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How Long Do the Seasonal Jobs Work?

Seasonal employment ensures part-time job opportunities for the employees. The duration of seasonal employment is based on the requirement of the organization for the desired profile of seasonal positions.

For seasonal employment, employees have to fill up documents with agreements. The agreement could last for a few days and may be for several months or years.

Though some human resource management hire those seasonal employees as permanent employees for their satisfactory performance.

Benefits of Seasonal Employment

Organizations often face challenges in hiring seasonal employees instead of hiring for permanent employment. Here are the benefits from both sides of the types of recruitment.

Benefits for Employers

Flexibility

Seasonal employment benefits employers by creating a flexible atmosphere by streamlining the entire workforce smoothly. With the seasonal employment process, employers can perform on-demand hiring by recruiting temporary employees for a particular task.

Additionally, seasonal employment benefits employers who can detect peak periods and hire accordingly without the long-term commitments associated with permanent positions.

Cost Savings

providing a permanent job may be hectic for some time. Managing seasonal employment is cost-effective for employers.

Through this process of seasonal employment, employers just have to pay the maintained lumpsum amount to the employee instead of paying numerous benefits such as healthcare, paid time off, or retirement plans typically associated with permanent positions.

Expertise and Specialization

Often employers require an expert for a particularly short time requirement. Hiring seasonal workers often bring specialized skills or expertise in specific areas.

Employers get an experienced candidate for a short time basis and they can tap into this talent pool to address future seasonal needs or full-time positions.

Trial Periods

Seasonal employment ensures the trial periods of checking the employees’ expertise before considering them for permanent positions. It serves as a trial period to assess their skills, work ethic, and fit within the organization.

Benefits for Employees

Temporary Income

Who doesn’t want an extra penny if he gets by working in his free time? Seasonal employment provides individuals with an opportunity to earn extra income beyond regular business hours during specific periods. It helps cover expenses or save for future needs during the holiday season.

Flexibility

Seasonal employment benefits employees by offering flexible work arrangements for the candidate. People just can choose multiple works at the same on their convenience. It allows individuals to balance work with other commitments such as studies, family responsibilities, or other part-time jobs.

Exploration and Variety

Freelancing is on trend now. Many people don’t believe in random everyday desk jobs, they like to perform different creative works. Seasonal work provides the candidates with the wonderful experience of attending different industries, job roles, and environments.

It allows them to explore various career paths, discover their interests, and gain valuable experience and a broader understanding of the job market.

Work Experience

Seasonal employment benefits employees by providing different work experiences at the same. It helps people to understand which field is suitable for upbringing their career.

It can be an excellent way for individuals, particularly students or those seeking entry-level positions, to gain valuable work experience, develop new skills, and enhance their resumes. They can get a permanent position as well.

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What Laws and Regulations Apply to Seasonal Employment?

The federal government’s Fair Labor Standards Act promotes Seasonal employment. It establishes minimum wage for employees, huge record-keeping, overtime pay, and youth employment standards in private industry and federal, state, and local governments.

Asper the law and policy, the seasonal employee gets the following benefits, like,

1. The federal minimum wage should be a minimum of 7.25 dollars per hour or the local minimum wage of the government even for the temporary job. Organizations have to choose whichever is higher.
2. In case, people who work more than 40 hours a week during their employment time. They should receive overtime pay for the extra hours.
3. Seasonal employees can be the same tax withholder.

Besides, the federal government also clear the child labour regulations. It is applicable for seasonal employment as well as many seasonal jobs. Let’s see what are the points within the law and policies;

1. Children between the ages of 14 and 15 years can only work for limited hours each week. Companies have to take permission from the government. There is a limited occupation for them.
2. At 16, there is no typical labour law again a child’s age.

Though there are central rules, the state and local employment and tax regulations vary dramatically. So it is essential to read it in detail before implementing it.

Tips for HR Leaders Managing Seasonal Workers?

Maintain the law and policy every time and get notified of the recent government update. Hire seasonal employees and manage seasonal employment after an acute background check-up and make sure employment law should be applicable to them.

Provide competitive wages to the seasonal employees, even you can provide some extra tips that would be outstanding. Gift them some seasonal hampers even if employees don’t work with you now. Making a good relationship with them can be fruitful for future hiring.

The organization must Leave a Lasting Impression on talented employees so that they come back for future needs.