der  Leiharbeiter

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈlaɪˌʔaʁbaɪtɐ/

🌍 What exactly is a Leiharbeiter?

Der Leiharbeiter (plural: die Leiharbeiter) refers to a male person employed by one company (the Verleiher or lending company, e.g., a temporary employment agency) but who performs their work for another company (the Entleiher or hiring company) in exchange for a fee paid between the companies. The employment contract exists between the Leiharbeiter and the Verleiher, but the actual work is done at the Entleiher's premises.

It's a form of Arbeitnehmerüberlassung (temporary agency work) or Zeitarbeit (temporary work). The female form is die Leiharbeiterin.

⚠️ The term is often discussed in the context of labor market flexibility, but also concerning precarious working conditions.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar Spotlight: Der Leiharbeiter

The noun "Leiharbeiter" is masculine. Here are the declension tables:

Example Sentences

1. Der Leiharbeiter wurde für ein dreimonatiges Projekt eingesetzt.
   (The temporary worker was assigned to a three-month project.)
2. Die Rechte des Leiharbeiters sind im Arbeitnehmerüberlassungsgesetz geregelt.
   (The rights of the agency worker are regulated in the Temporary Employment Act.)
3. Das Unternehmen beschäftigt viele Leiharbeiter in der Produktion.
   (The company employs many temporary workers in production.)
4. Man muss den Leiharbeitern die gleichen Sicherheitsstandards bieten wie der Stammbelegschaft.
   (One must offer the temporary workers the same safety standards as the permanent staff.)

💼 When and how to use 'Leiharbeiter'?

The term Leiharbeiter is primarily used in professional, economic, and legal contexts.

• Typical Use Cases: Discussions about the labor market, personnel planning in companies, reports on temporary employment agencies, legal regulations (Arbeitnehmerüberlassungsgesetz - Temporary Employment Act).
• Context: Often associated with labor flexibility, but also with topics like equal pay (Equal Pay), working conditions, and social security.
• Distinction: A Leiharbeiter is not the same as a freier Mitarbeiter (freelancer) or a Werkvertragsnehmer (contractor working under a contract for work and services). The Leiharbeiter is employed by the agency and integrated into the hiring company's work organization, whereas freelancers are self-employed, and contractors are paid for a specific result (Werk), not for the time worked itself.

💡 Mnemonics to Remember

Article Mnemonic: Imagine DER Boss (masculine) 'lends' (leiht) a 'worker' (Arbeiter). Linking it to the masculine 'Boss' might help remember 'der Leiharbeiter'.

Meaning Mnemonic: Think of 'leihen' (to lend/borrow) + 'Arbeiter' (worker). Someone is 'lent out' like a tool or a library book to another company for a period to work there.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for Leiharbeiter

Risk of Confusion: Don't confuse with Praktikant (intern, trainee) or Werkstudent (working student).

😂 A Little Joke

Warum ist der Leiharbeiter so gut im Versteckspiel?
(Why is the temporary worker so good at hide-and-seek?)

Weil er ständig den Arbeitsplatz wechselt!
(Because he's constantly changing workplaces!)

✍️ Poem about the Leiharbeiter

Von Firma A zu Firma B,
(From company A to company B,)
heut hier, morgen dort, oh weh.
(here today, gone tomorrow, oh dear.)
Der Leiharbeiter, stets bereit,
(The agency worker, always ready,)
für eine oft begrenzte Zeit.
(for an often limited time.)
Ein Glied in einer langen Kette,
(A link in a long chain,)
mal im Büro, mal an der Stätte,
(sometimes in the office, sometimes at the site,)
wo Arbeit ruft, da springt er ein,
(where work calls, he jumps in,)
so soll die flexible Wirtschaft sein.
(that's how the flexible economy should be.)

❓ Riddle Time

Ich hab' 'nen Chef, doch arbeite nicht hier,
(I have a boss, but don't work here,)
mein Lohn kommt von woanders, glaub es mir.
(my wages come from elsewhere, believe me.)
Ich wechsle den Ort, bin flexibel und schnell,
(I change location, am flexible and fast,)
mein Vertrag läuft oft nur temporär, nicht auf Dauer, mein Fell.
(my contract is often temporary, not long-term, my friend.)

Wer bin ich?
(Who am I?)

Solution: Der Leiharbeiter (The temporary/agency worker)

🧩 Further Details

Word Composition

The word "Leiharbeiter" is a compound noun, composed of:

• leihen: The verb "leihen" (meaning to lend or borrow, here in the sense of supplying/lending out).
• Arbeiter: The noun "Arbeiter" (worker, laborer).

Female Form

The female form is die Leiharbeiterin (plural: die Leiharbeiterinnen).

Legal Context

Temporary agency work (Arbeitnehmerüberlassung) is strictly regulated in Germany by the Arbeitnehmerüberlassungsgesetz (AÜG) - the Temporary Employment Act. This law defines the rights and obligations of the lending agency (Verleiher), the hiring company (Entleiher), and the temporary worker (Leiharbeiter), for instance regarding the maximum assignment duration and the principle of equal treatment/equal pay.