An employee brought in to cover a short-term labor shortage, handle seasonal spikes, or replace someone on leave. They are usually employed by a staffing agency rather than the company where they perform the work. The term can also refer to the agency itself or act as a verb for doing this type of work.
Heard on the job
We've three temps starting on the assembly line on Monday to help clear the backlog.
Insider tip
Temps often get the most repetitive or physically demanding tasks that permanent staff want to avoid.