U.S. staffing companies employed an average of 2.95 million temporary and contract workers per business day during the third quarter of 2012, according to data released today by the American Staffing Association.
“Even though the rate of growth slowed during the fall, third quarter staffing employment was the highest it has been in five years,” says Richard Wahlquist, ASA president and chief executive officer.
From July through September of this year, the number of temporary and contract workers employed by U.S. staffing firms on an average business day was 4.3% higher than in the third quarter of 2011. This is the 11th consecutive quarter of year-to-year staffing industry job growth since the recession ended mid-2009.
“The economy continues to struggle to regain its prerecession footing and, until businesses have more confidence and see sustained increases in demand, new permanent hiring will likely remain tepid as we enter 2013,” Wahlquist says.
Temporary and contract staffing sales in the third quarter totaled $26.63 billion and were 5.9% higher year-to-year.