Of all the employed workers in the United States, 12.5 million are part of a temporary workforce. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 9.2 percent of workers as those who have 1they term "alternative employment arrangements. " The government predicts that temporary staffing agencies 2 experience growth of 49 percent by 2010. If numbers increase at the rate 3, these companies will add 1. 9 million new jobs by 2010. That's more than any 4 industry. Temporary workers were the first ones to be affected by the recent economic recession, but they are 5 to be the first to regain positions as the economy picks up and companies work to rebuild. Employers use temporary workers as a resource because 6 offer flexibility and come at a low cost. Many temporaries are categorized as " independent contractors" instead of employees, 7allows the employer to avoid 8 certain taxes. Because they are not required to offer benefits to temporary workers, companies can save a great deal of money by hiring temps. Usually, temporary workers can qualify 9 benefits if they work for a staffing company for a certain length of time. Most temps, however, do not continue with one company long 10 to qualify for them because they regard the position as a step on the ladder to a 11 position later. According to Richard Wahlquist, president of the American Staffing Association, 75 12 of temporary workers hope for transition out of the temporary staffing category 13 a period of time. Wahlquist finds that temporary workers spend about 11 weeks on various assignments before their 14 out of the temporary workforce. Many use temporary positions to gain experience and skills 15 they move on to better jobs. Wahquist says that the temp workforce as a whole turns 16 400 percent each year. Tom Dilworth, research director at the Employment Policies Institute, explains 17 some workers like having temporary jobs 18 it affords them a great deal of elasticity with time and everything. Some temps only have a limited 19 of time to work and temp agencies can help coordinate jobs to fit their schedules. Other sometimes-employees use temporary jobs to get an 20 to a company from the inside, to get a foot in the door of a certain business or career. Still others take temporary positions in hopes their employers will change them over to permanent positions eventually.