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Staffing Jobs 4.3% Higher Than a Year Ago

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.

Fed Ties Rates to Joblessness

Wall Street Journal (12/13/12) Jon Hilsenrath; Kristina Peterson

The U.S. Federal Reserve indicated yesterday that it intends to continue holding down interest rates as long as the unemployment rate tops 6.5%. The November unemployment rate was 7.7%. The Fed said it also would keep making purchases of $85 billion per month of Treasury securities and mortgage-backed securities to boost the economy.

Survey: CEOs Still Cautious on 2013 Hiring

Wall Street Journal (12/12/12) Eric Morath

A November survey of 143 chief executives by the Business Roundtable indicates that more respondents are optimistic about economic growth in the coming year, but uncertainty about the fiscal cliff has made a majority of chief executives hesitant to hire more workers or boost capital spending. Staffing levels will hold steady over the next six months for 42% of respondents, but 29% expect to shrink their work force. Regulatory, labor, and health care costs will be the biggest concerns of chief executives for the next six months.