When a Staffing Client Changes the Job: Recheck Safety and Insurance
Quick answer: A temporary worker assigned to a clerical job may face a very different risk if the client moves them to warehouse, driving or machine work. Require changes in duties and locations to be reported, then review training, supervision, classification and insurance with the responsible advisers. A client contract does not eliminate either employer’s applicable safety responsibilities.
Compare the assignment with the work
| Original record | Change to investigate |
|---|---|
| Job description | Lifting, driving, machinery or other added tasks |
| Location | Transfer to another site or client facility |
| Supervision and training | Different equipment or hazard exposure |
| Payroll classification | Actual duties no longer match the submission |
Use a written change process
Ask the client to report proposed changes before assignment. Record the revised duties, necessary training, responsible supervisor and agency approval. OSHA explains the shared responsibility of staffing agencies and host employers for worker safety; allocating tasks in a contract does not automatically discharge legal duties.
Ask separate coverage questions
Workers compensation, employers liability, general liability and professional liability serve different purposes. An alternate-employer endorsement is not a substitute for every client request. Give the broker the client agreement and actual work description so the applicable forms can be reviewed.
Reconcile at audit and renewal
Keep payroll and assignment records that support what workers did and where. Address discrepancies promptly rather than waiting for an audit to reconstruct months of activity. Protect worker personal information by using secure submission channels.
The strongest submission describes real assignments, including the highest-hazard work, and explains how the agency controls changes.