Staffing Firms Add 19,700 Jobs
Staffing firms created 19,700 new jobs in September, up 0.7% over August and 8.6% over September last year, according to seasonally adjusted data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Year-over-year growth has slightly moderated from around 9% at the beginning of the year and an average of 8.8% over the past 12 months.
Nonseasonally adjusted BLS data, which estimate the actual number of jobs in the economy, indicated that temporary help employment increased 2.2% from August and 8.1% from the same month last year.
“As economic conditions continue to slowly improve, businesses are strategically increasing the size of their workforces. They’re hiring more workers and—to maintain agility—they’re expanding their flexible workforces,” said Richard Wahlquist, president and chief executive officer of the American Staffing Association. “This means that staffing and recruiting firms are able to help more job seekers find temporary and permanent employment.”
Total U.S. nonfarm payroll employment rose by 248,000 jobs in September (seasonally adjusted), BLS reported. Incorporating revisions for July and August, monthly job gains averaged 224,000 over the past three months, up from an average of 213,000 per month since September of last year.
Gains were led by 81,000 jobs in professional and business services (which includes staffing), 35,000 in retail trade, and 23,000 in health care.
The unemployment rate decreased to 5.9% in September versus 6.1% in August. Over the year, the unemployment rate is down by 1.3 percentage points.
BLS also released preliminary August employment data for search and placement services. Seasonally adjusted, employment increased 1.1% from July to August, totaling 324,700—the greatest number of search and placement jobs since September 2001 and 12.2% more than August 2013.
For more information, visit the ASA Newsroom. You can also follow ASA on Twitter.
Interviews with ASA executives are available.
###
About the American Staffing Association
The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. For more information about ASA, visit americanstaffing.net.
ASA Staffing Index Monthly Report, August 2018 The ASA Staffing Index for the week of Aug. 6–12 strengthened by 0.7% to a rounded value of 101—the third consecutive week the index has reached record highs for their comparable weeks. This also marks the first time the index has reached a rounded figure of 101 before… More ›
ASA Staffing Index Monthly Report, October 2017 Staffing employment for the week of Oct. 9–15 edged up to 98.61, according to the ASA Staffing Index. Temporary and contract staffing employment was 0.09% higher than the prior week, with some survey respondents citing temporary-to-hire conversions as a condition that impeded growth. Staffing employment was 1.32% higher… More ›
New Data From Quarterly ASA Staffing Employment and Sales Survey U.S. staffing companies employed an average of 3.24 million temporary and contract workers per week in the third quarter of 2016. Staffing employment growth eased (down 0.6%) compared with the same period in 2015, according to data released today by the American Staffing Association. Temporary… More ›
Staffing Firms Add 9,300 Jobs in April Temporary help employment showed little change from March to April (0.3%), according to seasonally adjusted data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Staffing employment was 2.3% higher than in April 2015. Year-to-year staffing job growth averaged 3.3% over the past 12 months. Nonseasonally adjusted BLS… More ›
ASA Staffing Index Monthly Report, December 2015 Staffing employment for the week of Dec. 7–13 was 103.29, according to the ASA Staffing Index—remaining above an average of 100 for the third consecutive month. Temporary and contract staffing employment increased 1.10% from the prior week. Staffing employment was 3.95% lower than the same week last year…. More ›
Staffing Firms Add 16,000 Jobs in April 2015 Staffing firms created 16,100 new jobs in April, up 0.6% from March and 5.5% from April 2014, according to seasonally adjusted data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Year-to-year staffing job growth averaged 5.8% over the past 12 months. Nonseasonally adjusted BLS data, which… More ›
Staffing Firms Add 14,700 Jobs in December 2014 Staffing firms created 14,700 new jobs in December, up 0.5% from November and 7.8% from December 2013, according to seasonally adjusted data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Year-to-year staffing job growth averaged 8.7% in 2014, compared with 6.4% in 2013. Nonseasonally adjusted BLS… More ›
“Over the year, employment in professional and business services [which includes staffing] has expanded by 648,000,” said BLS commissioner Erica L. Groshen, commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. More ›
Seasonally adjusted employment data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that staffing firms added 25,600 new jobs from April to May (up 1.0%). More ›
Seasonally adjusted employment data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that staffing firms added 16,000 new jobs from January to February (up More ›