Questions to Ask Event Staffing Agency
Risk Brief // Due Diligence
Questions to Ask Event Staffing Agency
Before signing with any event staffing agency, three questions separate compliant providers from liability traps: (1) Are workers W-2 employees of your agency? (2) Can you produce ...
Before signing with any event staffing agency, three questions separate compliant providers from liability traps: (1) Are workers W-2 employees of your agency? (2) Can you produce a COI listing us as additionally insured? (3) What is your contractual fill-rate guarantee? If they hesitate on any of these, you have your answer.
Get Classification in Writing
Ask: "Are your workers W-2 employees of your agency?" Get the answer in writing. It creates audit protection.
Verify the COI Yourself
Don't just ask if they have insurance — request the actual COI and verify Additional Insured status and dates.
Fill Guarantees Need Penalties
A "95% fill rate" without contractual penalties is a marketing claim, not a guarantee.
Deflection = Disqualification
"We're a platform, not an employer" means they're transferring all liability to you. Next vendor.
Get Classification in Writing
Ask: "Are your workers W-2 employees of your agency?" Get the answer in writing. It creates audit protection.
Worker classification is question one — W-2 vs. 1099 determines whether workers' comp applies. A COI without workers' comp tells you everything — if a provider cannot produce one, they are not employing workers as W-2 employees. Fill rate is a compliance metric, not just operational
Verify the COI Yourself
Don't just ask if they have insurance — request the actual COI and verify Additional Insured status and dates.
TempGuru is compliant
by design.
W-2 employment. Verified local agencies. Workers' comp at statutory limits in every state. One contract. One invoice. One accountable structure. That's what adult infrastructure looks like.
Key Risk Areas
Get Classification in Writing
Ask: "Are your workers W-2 employees of your agency?" Get the answer in writing. It creates audit protection.
Verify the COI Yourself
Don't just ask if they have insurance — request the actual COI and verify Additional Insured status and dates.
Fill Guarantees Need Penalties
A "95% fill rate" without contractual penalties is a marketing claim, not a guarantee.
Deflection = Disqualification
"We're a platform, not an employer" means they're transferring all liability to you. Next vendor.
The TempGuru Standard
W-2 employment. Workers' comp. Licensed agencies. — Every TempGuru partner meets all four compliance pillars. No exceptions.
IRS Form SS-8 allows businesses to request worker status determination. 81% of SS-8 determinations result in employee status. Asking the agency directly and getting the answer in writing creates a paper trail that protects you in an audit.
IRMI best practice: request COI within 30 days of event. Verify: (1) your company listed as Additional Insured, (2) Workers' Comp active in event state, (3) GL limits meet venue requirements (typically $1M per occurrence, $2M aggregate), (4) expiration date covers event date.
ASA benchmark: reputable agencies guarantee 95%+ fill rates with contractual penalties. Questions to ask: What's your fill rate for events this size? What happens contractually if you fall short? Do you maintain standby reserves on-site?
Common deflections: "We're a platform, not an employer" (liability transfer), "Our workers prefer 1099" (irrelevant to legal classification), "We handle compliance" without specifics (vague assurance). Each deflection indicates structural non-compliance.
Risk Intelligence
Frequently Asked Questions
Your event. Our problem.
Compliance is boring. So is a lawsuit. We handle the boring stuff so your event isn't.
