Planning Ahead: How Staffing Agencies Help When Employees Take Extended Leave
Author: Paige.Fiore
From family leave to short term disability to well-deserved long vacations, the work of a full-time employee doesn’t go away when they go out on extended leave.
Effectively managing the challenges created by an absence is essential to maintaining operations without overburdening the remaining staff – which is important, given how difficult it is to get and retain good employees. This is where staffing agencies come in. Agencies can be great partners that help businesses continue to run smoothly during these times. By providing temporary or contract workers, staffing agencies fill gaps and maintain productivity.
Understanding the role of staffing agencies
Staffing agencies specialize in sourcing, vetting, and placing qualified workers in temporary roles. They are an invaluable resource for businesses that need to cover positions during unplanned or extended employee absences, whether the absence is due to family leave, a medical condition, or a personal emergency.
Working with a staffing agency improves the chances that there won’t be a negative effect on the employer and, in fact, there might be a positive effect – which is more common than expected. The National Partnership for Women & Families “FMLA Key Facts” report in 2025 found that most employers reported neutral or positive effects when employees took FMLA leave. Which makes sense given that the Family Medical Leave Act covers situations like the birth or adoption of a child, or taking care of a serious health condition.
How staffing agencies help with extended absences
Staffing agencies follow a straightforward process to help businesses manage employee absences effectively:
- Assessment of needs: The first step is for the staffing agency to assess the business’s specific needs. Whether the absence is short-term or extended, the agency identifies the type of work required and the skills necessary to fill the gap. This could include administrative, technical, or specialized roles depending on the nature of the absence.
- Recruitment and placement: Staffing agencies have access to a solid pool of candidates. Recruiters can swiftly find, interview, and place qualified temporary staff who can take over essential duties. This is especially beneficial in cases where positions require specific expertise that would be difficult for other employees to pick up in a short amount of time as pointed out in this article by Business News Daily.
- Legal compliance: Navigating the legalities of employee leave, particularly under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), can be complex. Staffing agencies are well-versed in these regulations and can work with the business to create processes and parameters around the leave. This helps businesses avoid legal pitfalls and stay compliant.
- Cost efficiency: Hiring a staffing agency can also be a cost-effective solution for temporary absences. Agencies manage the payroll, benefits, and administrative tasks associated with temporary workers, which reduces the hassle on the business.
- Flexibility and scalability: One of the most significant advantages of working with staffing agencies is the flexibility they offer. Businesses can scale their workforce up or down based on the length and nature of the absence, and flex the job duties to match the existing staff’s skills (assuming they have the bandwidth) and use temporary staff to fill in the gaps in the workflow.
Staffing agencies are invaluable when it comes to managing extended employee leave. By offering a cost-effective, flexible solution to cover absences, agencies can make sure businesses continue operations without disruption. With their expertise in recruitment and employee management, staffing agencies help businesses stay productive, and maybe even create positive change, when faced with prolonged absences.
As one of the top recruiting agencies in Pennsylvania, TriStarr specializes in legal staff, accounting, IT, human resources and administrative staffing placements. Our services also include recruiting for administrative, professional and management roles and filling temporary staffing needs whether due to extended employee leave or another reason. Make a talent request on our website or call us at 717-560-2111 for more information.
From family leave to short term disability to well-deserved long vacations, the work of a full-time employee doesn’t go away when they go out on extended leave.
Effectively managing the challenges created by an absence is essential to maintaining operations without overburdening the remaining staff – which is important, given how difficult it is to get and retain good employees. This is where staffing agencies come in. Agencies can be great partners that help businesses continue to run smoothly during these times. By providing temporary or contract workers, staffing agencies fill gaps and maintain productivity.
Understanding the role of staffing agencies
Staffing agencies specialize in sourcing, vetting, and placing qualified workers in temporary roles. They are an invaluable resource for businesses that need to cover positions during unplanned or extended employee absences, whether the absence is due to family leave, a medical condition, or a personal emergency.
Working with a staffing agency improves the chances that there won’t be a negative effect on the employer and, in fact, there might be a positive effect – which is more common than expected. The National Partnership for Women & Families “FMLA Key Facts” report in 2025 found that most employers reported neutral or positive effects when employees took FMLA leave. Which makes sense given that the Family Medical Leave Act covers situations like the birth or adoption of a child, or taking care of a serious health condition.
How staffing agencies help with extended absences
Staffing agencies follow a straightforward process to help businesses manage employee absences effectively:
- Assessment of needs: The first step is for the staffing agency to assess the business’s specific needs. Whether the absence is short-term or extended, the agency identifies the type of work required and the skills necessary to fill the gap. This could include administrative, technical, or specialized roles depending on the nature of the absence.
- Recruitment and placement: Staffing agencies have access to a solid pool of candidates. Recruiters can swiftly find, interview, and place qualified temporary staff who can take over essential duties. This is especially beneficial in cases where positions require specific expertise that would be difficult for other employees to pick up in a short amount of time as pointed out in this article by Business News Daily.
- Legal compliance: Navigating the legalities of employee leave, particularly under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), can be complex. Staffing agencies are well-versed in these regulations and can work with the business to create processes and parameters around the leave. This helps businesses avoid legal pitfalls and stay compliant.
- Cost efficiency: Hiring a staffing agency can also be a cost-effective solution for temporary absences. Agencies manage the payroll, benefits, and administrative tasks associated with temporary workers, which reduces the hassle on the business.
- Flexibility and scalability: One of the most significant advantages of working with staffing agencies is the flexibility they offer. Businesses can scale their workforce up or down based on the length and nature of the absence, and flex the job duties to match the existing staff’s skills (assuming they have the bandwidth) and use temporary staff to fill in the gaps in the workflow.
Staffing agencies are invaluable when it comes to managing extended employee leave. By offering a cost-effective, flexible solution to cover absences, agencies can make sure businesses continue operations without disruption. With their expertise in recruitment and employee management, staffing agencies help businesses stay productive, and maybe even create positive change, when faced with prolonged absences.
As one of the top recruiting agencies in Pennsylvania, TriStarr specializes in legal staff, accounting, IT, human resources and administrative staffing placements. Our services also include recruiting for administrative, professional and management roles and filling temporary staffing needs whether due to extended employee leave or another reason. Make a talent request on our website or call us at 717-560-2111 for more information.
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