Lowell Sun (Massachusetts) (12/23/13) Mike Deehan

The Massachusetts Inspector General’s office has discovered that state agencies often use temporary employees to fill permanent or long-term positions. These workers remain temporary employees for years without transitioning to permanent employment. This is a result of the full-time equivalent cap, a hiring limit imposed by the commonwealth’s executive branch.

Some agencies are unaware that they can negotiate with staffing firms for lower contract costs. Dozens of workers have been temporary employees for more than three years, and 10 have been temporary employees for more than 10 years.