Many jobs today are not of a permanent nature.  For instance a law firm may need a paralegal for a special project and it is expected to last only a few months.  They would not want to hire an employee and then let them go immediately.  They will do what many of the employers in the Maryland jobs market do and hire a temporary employee through an agency specializing in temporary employees.  The agency hires the employee,  pays them their salary and sends them out to work.  The person or company needing the temporary workers contracts on an hourly or weekly basis for their servies.