American Staffing Association (09/26/12)

U.S. staffing companies employed an average of 2.91 million temporary and contract workers per business day during the second quarter of 2012, according to recent data released by the American Staffing Association.

“Even in the face of a very stubborn jobs recession, staffing and recruiting firms continue to provide the way to work for millions of people each day,” says Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer.

From April through June of this year, the number of temporary and contract workers employed by U.S. staffing firms on an average business day was 5.4% higher compared with the second quarter of 2011. This is the 10th consecutive quarter of year-to-year staffing industry job growth since the recession ended mid-2009.

“As the economy continues to slowly improve, businesses are turning to staffing firms for flexible work force solutions and access to qualified talent,” Wahlquist says.

Temporary and contract staffing sales in the second quarter were 8.9% higher year-to-year compared with the second quarter of last year.