Sure I did plenty of Temp work (for 10 yrs)...contract to contract...for
various CRM companies in San Diego County....before I got a full-time
position where I have been for 15+ yrs.  I think all or almost all CRM
firms (not state or federal) here in S. CA (there are about 12-15) have
full (perhaps not dental/vision) benefits and pension for their full-time
archies.  We do hire the temporary, part-timers as crew...and no...they
dont get benefits...but it is either 1) their choice to work as such....or
2) there just arent full-time positions available (so you go/move some
where else).

I know in reality it isnt always this 'easy'...but since I could make a dollar
s-t-r-e-t-c-h...I wasnt too concerned/stressed when I did contract work as
a part-timer.  In fact...I became very stressed when I had to work ALL year
long...with only 2 wks off.  I still dont like working all yr.  I enjoyed
the time off when it rained...or 2 wk break between projects, but those
days are long gone now.  But I know...I'm weird (and most people dont even
know How to skrimp to get by these days; they all have cell phones, etc.
and whine about money; gee I wonder why?).

I guess I was lucky I didnt have any health problems, etc. while I was
without benefits those 10 yrs.  Benefits were foreign to me when I became
full-time.  I hardly take advantage of them even now; my HMO is making a
fortune off of me.

Not all companies offer 401Ks tho...but personally, I have always been good
about Saving my money.

At 08:19 AM 9/15/2004 -0500, Dan Allen wrote:
>I worked for a CRM'er with broad local, state, and federal contacts for a
>decade with no health insurance most of the time, no education benefits, no
>401k's, no overtime even with long hours on rushed projects, less pay than a
>primary educator, lots of parasites and bodily environmental degradation
>including clay shoveler's back.  Benefits included workman's comp (really
>designed to limit an employers liability) and the benefit of a doubt. I
>slowly figured out that I would have to retire myself if it was ever going
>to happen and hung out my own shingle.  Contract firms with decent benefit
>packages are scarce around here.  The only retirees I've seen are from state
>positions.  Show me the money:):):)
>
>Dan Allen
>Cumberland Research Group, Inc.
>and
>GRA @ the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU