Randstad News Release (07/26/12)

Randstad reported revenue for the second quarter of € 4,303.1 million. North American revenue grew by 7% per working day in the second quarter of 2012 compared with 8% in the first quarter.

“We still see a mixed picture in an uncertain environment, illustrated by growth in North America, Asia, and Latin America and a gradual slowdown in Europe,” says Randstad chief executive officer Ben Noteboom. “Our colleagues in the U.S. and Japan did particularly well this quarter, growing both revenue and profit.”

TrueBlue News Release (07/25/12)

TrueBlue Inc. has reported revenue for the second quarter of 2012 of $354 million, an increase of 11% compared with revenue of $320 million for the second quarter of 2011. Net income for the quarter was $10.3 million or $0.26 per diluted share, compared with net income of $8.5 million or $0.20 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2011.

“We executed very well this quarter,” said TrueBlue chief executive officer Steve Cooper. “Our team delivered double-digit growth in revenue and profits. Our services are increasingly relevant to customers who are turning to us as they manage their businesses through this uncertain economic environment. Our disciplined approach to managing our business will continue to drive growth and deliver value over the long term.”

CDI Corp. News Release (07/26/12)

CDI Corp. today reported revenue of $274.4 million for the second quarter ended June 30, up 4.4% compared with the prior-year second quarter. The gross profit margin of 20.2% for the quarter compared with 21.7% in the same period last year. Operating profit of $7.9 million in the second quarter of 2012 compared with $13.7 million in second-quarter 2011. The company reported net income of $5.0 million in the second quarter, compared with $12.0 million in the prior-year second quarter.

“We are pleased that the company’s second quarter performance includes revenue growth in all three business segments,” says CDI president and chief executive officer, Paulett Eberhart. “Operating income, net income, and earnings per share also showed significant gains, excluding the previously identified items in the second quarter 2011, and we achieved these increases despite economic headwinds in the government-funded defense and infrastructure sectors.”

Bloomberg (07/26/12) Lorraine Woellert

The number of people who filed applications for unemployment benefits fell by 35,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 353,000, marking the third straight week of sharp swings, the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Economists forecasted 380,000 claims, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey.

DOL says changes in the annual auto plant shutdowns that occur this time of year have made it difficult to adjust the data for seasonal variations. Auto manufacturers used to schedule brief shutdowns of plants every July to retool for new models, but the size of temporary layoffs has varied widely since the industry was bailed out several years ago. That makes the claims report especially volatile in July and less useful in gauging labor-market trends.

CNN Health (07/25/2012) Joe Sterling; Elizabeth Cohen; William Hudson

David Kwiatkowski, a traveling medical technician who was hired by Exeter Hospital in October 2011, has been charged with spreading hepatitis C there when he allegedly injected himself with painkillers meant for patients and left the syringes to be reused. Over the last five years, Kwiatkowski also worked on a contract basis at hospitals in Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania, and officials in these states want to determine if he may have spread the disease to patients at those facilities as well. Triage Staffing, which placed Kwiatkowski at Exeter Hospital, faces a negligence complaint and a class action lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Omaha, NE.