Watching employment statistics has become quite a spectator sport in the past few years. The truly brave jump in and identify trends and start making predictions.

One observation bandied about over the past week or so is that employers are hiring more temporary workers.

A sign of recovery? Perhaps. More likely, the new reality of temp work is a sign of the times.

There was a time when putting in a three or four months as a temp was often the way to land a steady, full-time version of the same job. A reasonable expectation for both you and the employee, not to mention a chance for everyone to try out the working relationship before taking the plunge.

But now you make be looking for a temporary employee who is just that — temporary. That’s fine, too, but keep in mind old expectations die hard. A job that’s truly temporary might not be what your applicants have in mind.

The solution? Honesty. If you believe you have a 3-month project that will wrap up after three months, say so. Of course, things may change. Business could pick up, or a staff member could leave, but stick with the conservative estimate when recruiting and interviewing.

Chances are, you’ll hire this person as an independent contractor, not an employee. As discussed here, make sure you abide by the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Hiring temporary help is perfectly legal, provided you follow the law.