BLS: Staffing Employment Increases in April

Seasonally adjusted employment data released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that staffing industry employment increased last month, adding 21,100 jobs (up 0.9% from March to April). In a year-to-year comparison, temporary help employment for the month was 8.7% higher than in April 2011.

U.S. nonfarm payroll employment in April rose by 115,000, a significantly lower rate of job creation than the 252,000 monthly average noted from December 2011 through February 2012. In April, most of the employment growth was driven by new job creation in professional and business services, retail trade, health care, and manufacturing; declines were noted in transportation and warehousing.

“Businesses continue to embrace flexible staffing solutions as they navigate through this bumpy recovery,” says Richard Wahlquist, president and chief executive officer of the American Staffing Association. “For workers, this means more opportunities to get a foot in the door with companies that are ramping up their temporary and contract work forces.”

Nonseasonally adjusted BLS data, which estimate the actual number of jobs in the economy, indicated that the staffing industry added 47,900 jobs (up 2.0%) March to April. On a year-to-year basis, there were 8.2% more staffing employees in April than in the same month of 2011.

Full Story Available

Headline News

AMN Healthcare Announces First-Quarter 2012 Results
AMN Healthcare Services News Release (05/03/12)

AMN Healthcare Services Inc. reported that for the first quarter of 2012, consolidated revenue was $226 million, an increase of 2% sequentially and 5% from the same quarter last year. Net income from continuing operations was $3.5 million for the quarter. First-quarter revenue for the nurse and allied health care staffing segment was $154 million, up 4% sequentially and 14% from the same quarter last year. The locum tenens staffing segment generated revenue in the first quarter of $64 million, a decrease of 2% sequentially and 10% from the same quarter last year. First-quarter physician permanent placement services segment revenue was $9 million, a decrease of 4% sequentially and 17% from the same quarter last year.

Analysts International Corp. Reports First Quarter 2012 Financial Results
Analysts International Corp. News Release (05/03/12)

Analysts International Corp. reported first-quarter revenue of $26.7 million as compared with 2011 first-quarter revenue of $26.3 million. AIC reported 2012 first-quarter net income of $0.2 million, essentially flat with the first quarter of 2011. In the first quarter of 2012, gross profit was $6.4 million, compared with $6.3 million in the first quarter of 2011.

U.S. Adds 115,000 Jobs; Unemployment Rate at 8.1%
Wall Street Journal (05/04/12) Jeffrey Sparshott; Josh Mitchell

The U.S. economy added 115,000 jobs in April as hiring slacked off for the second straight month, the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, dipped to 8.1% from 8.2%, as nearly 350,000 people dropped out of the labor force. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires expected a gain of 168,000 in payrolls and for the jobless rate to remain at 8.2% in April.

On a positive note, March payrolls grew by an upwardly revised 154,000 from an initially reported 120,000, and February payrolls posted a gain of 259,000, compared with an earlier estimate of 240,000. The report showed that private companies again fueled the growth, adding 130,000 jobs in April. Job growth came from a variety of sectors. Professional and business services, which include temporary help, engineering, and software design, added 62,000 jobs.

U.S. Saw Fewer Layoffs in April and More Voluntary Departures
Minneapolis Star Tribune (05/03/12) Dee DePass

The U.S. Department of Labor reports a decrease in layoffs to a 10-month low of 1.7 million in February from 2.4 million in February 2009 and a jump in the number of workers quitting their jobs to 2.1 million from 1.8 million over the same time span. More “quits can be seen as a measure of what people think about the economy, because you are not likely to quit a job unless you have another one or think there is another job out there for you,” says Guy Podgornik, an economist at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jim Kwapick, senior vice president at Robert Half International, says more workers in the information technology and accounting sectors, in particular, are considering multiple job offers.

ASA for You

The search and placement section is a niche community for ASA member companies that provide direct hire placement and special recruiting services. Sector-specific issues the section will address this year include defining recruitment processing outsourcing, counteroffers, and basic methods for controlling the client and the candidate.

Section benefits include Webinars with industry experts that address the unique education needs of the search and placement staffing sector, best practices, Section Forums at the ASA annual convention, sector-specific data, and a private networking group on LinkedIn.

Individual enrollment is free and open to all ASA members specializing in direct hire placement—sign up today. To learn more, visit americanstaffing.net.
The early registration deadline for Staffing World is just two weeks away. Don’t miss the opportunity to register for this can’t-miss event at a discount. Here are three reasons to register right now.

1. Save money. You save up to $400 per person, when you register by May 18.

2. See Jim Collins. Back by popular demand, Jim Collins is among the can’t-miss keynote speakers at Staffing World 2012.

3. Experience the content. Staffing World delivers premier executive education offerings you won’t find anywhere else.

Staffing World 2012 takes place Oct 9–11 in Las Vegas. Register today.

Legal Watch

NLRB ‘Ambush Election’ Rules Clear Their First Hurdle
Employer Labor Relations Blog (04/30/2012)

The National Labor Relations Board’s “quickie election” rules, which expedite the processing of petitions for election filed by a union with the NLRB, went into effect April 30. The rules substantially limit a company’s ability to legally challenge a union petition. A District Court judge earlier had denied a motion to stay the implementation of the rules. However, the judge is still considering the merits of a lawsuit, Chamber of Commerce, et al. v. NLRB, and plans to issue a decision by May 15.

Among other things, if the new rules are upheld they will give an NLRB hearing officer the ability to limit the evidence that can be brought at a representation case hearing; give the hearing officer the authority to deny a party the right to file a post-hearing brief; and do away with a party’s right to have the NLRB review a decision by a regional director that directs an election.

Trends and Research

Monster Employment Index U.S. Remains Relatively Unchanged on Annual Basis
Monster Worldwide Inc. News Release (05/04/12)

The Monster Employment Index U.S. is holding relatively steady, growing 1% year-over-year. The index rose 2% month-over-month. Transportation and warehousing continues to outpace all other industries, while retail trade is weakening, now recording single-digit annual growth of 6%. Arts, entertainment, and recreation; educational services; utilities; and public administration declined on an annual basis. All metro markets tracked by the index continue to exhibit positive annual growth.

Three in 10 Companies Expect to Hire for Executive-Level Positions Over Next Six Months, According to CareerBuilder and HeadHunter.com Survey
CareerBuilder News Release (05/03/12)

The hiring landscape for executives is improving along with the rest of the labor market, according to a new survey from ASA corporate partner CareerBuilder and HeadHunter.com. Thirty-one percent of employers expect to hire for executive-level positions over the next six months, up from 23% in October’s forecast.

Employers are recruiting senior leadership for a range of business functions, but certain areas will see the most focus. Of employers hiring executives, nearly a quarter (24%) will hire in business development, followed by information technology (23%), sales (22%), marketing (19%), and accounting or finance (19%).

“Hiring trends for executive-level management mirror what we’re seeing in the labor market for all workers,” says Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. “As companies look to expand their sales force, develop new products, and improve their tech infrastructure, the need for diverse, experienced leadership grows along with these initiatives.”

Adecco Graduation Survey 2012
Adecco Group News Release (05/01/12)

Adecco Group North America’s 2012 Graduation Survey of 507 recent college graduates of four-year programs between the ages of 22 and 26 shows that 94% would be willing to relocate, 71% for a job offer with higher pay and 51% for a job offer in their dream city. Around 18% would leave their job if it did not fit their interests. The survey also shows that recent graduates expect benefits, flexibility, high salaries, and a good company culture, among other things, and want the ability to take personal phone calls and check personal e-mails while at work. Of those polled, 36% had a permanent job in the field they studied as an undergraduate, 18% had part-time positions, and 2% had temporary jobs.