Temporary Employees, Long-Term Impact
What is NPR losing out on by its heavy reliance on temps and is there a better way?
NPR's use of temporary employees has been in the news, prompting questions to the Ombudsman Office.
On Dec. 7, The Washington Post reported on internal anxiety in the NPR newsroom due to its use of a high number of temps, a practice stretching back many years. They currently number roughly 16 percent of the total newsroom workforce (395 regular employees and 76 temps), according to NPR's human resources office.
These employees handle jobs throughout the newsroom, from booking guests to editing and producing pieces and interviews that are heard on air, or posted online. The newsroom uses them to fill in for employees who are on
