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Dear Fence:

Your situation is representative of a growing trend: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports three straight months of strong growth in the temporary-help sector, which added 122,000 employees from May to July, up more than 5 percent from April.

But taking a contract position is indeed a commitment, and leaving an employer in the lurch is one of the worst things you can do careerwise, according to career coach and former HR executive Gary Yeatts

(e-mail, gyeatts@rcsis.com). IT is a tight-knit industry, and while companies officially will share only information about last wage earned and period of service, peers tend to share background info, both positive and negative, off the record. Because this project suits you and could lead to a staff job, Yeatts recommends you accept it and try to renegotiate the contract if a better opportunity comes along.

Dear Open:

Circadian Technologies (www.circadian.com), a research and consulting company specializing in extended-hours operations, recently published a report on the financial implications of such plans. Although improved customer satisfaction is a plus, problems include increased accident rates, chronic absenteeism, high turnover and disproportionate health problems. Lost productivity is the biggest drawback, accounting for 39 percent of excess costs.

And though there are no federal or state laws requiring employers to pay higher rates for off-hours work, many companies do. In 2002, the average shift differential was $0.84 per hour, up from $0.50 in 2000, according to Circadian's David Mitchell and Dr. Alexander Kerin, author of "Guide to Federal and State Regulations Regarding Extended Hours Operations." Consider the norm in your area--offering a differential could provide a recruiting advantage.

The practice of providing a shift differential is less common among companies with largely exempt work forces, the experts say. And given the currently high level of unemployment, a differential may not be necessary to attract skilled, high-performing employees to work nights and weekends. Some employers instead offer extra benefits, such as comp time.

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