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ASA Staffing Index: Staffing Employment Remains Steady in November

Staffing employment was steady in the week of Nov. 7–13, edging up 0.3% to hold at a rounded value of 108. Staffing companies mentioned several factors—including conversions of temporary workers to permanent, a holiday, and seasonal business fluctuations—as barriers preventing further growth. Staffing jobs were up 0.5% from the same week last year.

New starts rose in the 45th week of the year, increasing by 1% from the prior week. Nearly four in 10 staffing companies (39%) reported gains in new assignments week-to-week.

The ASA Staffing Index four-week moving average edged up from the prior week to hold at a rounded value of 108, as temporary and contract staffing employment for the four weeks ending Nov. 13 was 1.3% higher than the same period in 2021.

“Staffing employment remains slightly above the level seen at this time in 2021, though the gap has narrowed in recent weeks,” said Tim Hulley, ASA assistant director of research.

This week, containing the 12th day of the month, will be used in the November monthly employment situation report scheduled to be issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Dec. 2.

ASA, NJSA Advocacy Delays Antistaffing Legislation Vote

In a major win for the staffing industry, the New Jersey State Senate chose yesterday not to vote on Gov. Murphy’s conditional veto of A 1474, an onerous bill that would make it harder for staffing agencies to do business in the Garden State. ASA; the New Jersey Staffing Alliance, an ASA-affiliated chapter; and staffing agencies engaged in intense advocacy, resulting in the bill being pulled from consideration because the senate did not have enough votes for passage. This marks the second time the vote was tabled, as advocacy forestalled the bill’s passage in October.

A 1474, which applies to construction, light industrial, and other workers—but not professional or clerical workers—would, among other things

  • Require staffing agencies to pay at least the average rate of pay, as well as the average cost of benefits or the cash equivalent, of what client employees performing the same or substantially similar work receive
  • Impose a limitation on conversion fees
  • Prohibit agencies from charging a fee for providing transportation

ASA and NJSA engaged in a prolonged grassroots campaign, explaining to senators why the bill is bad for workers and the staffing industry, and were successful in persuading one senator to introduce an alternative, more palatable, bill.

On Oct. 6, Sen. Holly Schepisi introduced S 3182. Modeled after the Massachusetts Temporary Worker Right to Know law, the legislation contains several provisions found in A 1474 that protect temporary employees but presents fewer operational issues for staffing agencies.

The senate may still take up A 1474 on Dec. 22. Between now and then, ASA will continue to urge senators to support S 3182 as a compromise bill. ASA and NJSA also will be reaching out to staffing agencies doing business in New Jersey to ask them to contact their state senators to support S 3182.

Free ASA Webinar Today—Recruiter Onboarding

Don’t miss the ASA webinar “Recruiter Onboarding for Today’s Staffing and Recruiting Firm.” It takes place today from 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern time. Find out how to update recruiter onboarding methods with results-oriented strategies during this session presented by the ASA engineering, IT, and scientific section.

All ASA webinars are free for ASA members, and most qualify for continuing education hours toward ASA certification renewal. To learn more and to register, visit americanstaffing.net.

Free ASA Webinar Next Week—Recruiting Internal Staff

Direct hire and executive search firms are skilled at placing candidates for their clients, but they sometimes struggle to recruit internal staff. Learn how to find and retain the right talent for your team during the ASA webinar “ASA Search and Placement Webinar Series, Part 1: Onboarding a Candidate-Focused Recruiter in the Direct Hire Space,” presented by the ASA search and placement section. It takes place Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2–3 p.m. Eastern time.

All ASA webinars are free for ASA members, and most qualify for continuing education hours toward ASA certification renewal. To learn more and to register, visit americanstaffing.net.

Network in Your Niche—Virtually

As your staffing firm faces evolving challenges and tries to answer unexpected questions, are you dealing with questions that are specific to your sector of the staffing industry? Get insight from industry peers during a sector-specific peer networking call where you can discuss top-of-mind challenges and devise solutions. Calls are facilitated by volunteers from ASA section communities (participants will not receive official legal updates or guidance regarding Covid-19).

Get the full schedule and register at americanstaffing.net:

  • Office–administrative section: Tuesday, Dec. 13, 1–2 p.m. Eastern time
  • Search and placement section: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 1–2 p.m. Eastern time
  • Engineering, IT, and scientific section: Thursday, Dec. 15, 1–2 p.m. Eastern time

Networking calls are open to members of ASA sections, which are sector-specific communities that provide resources, webinars, town hall forums, and sector-specific news for member companies and their employees. To join a section, update your profile on ASA Central.

Free Online Course Addresses ASA Members’ Top Worries

ASA recognizes that one of the top issues keeping staffing and recruiting professionals up at night is growing their talent pipeline amid an ongoing talent shortage. Communicating to job seekers in a way that resonates and captures their interests has never been more critical.

The association conducted extensive research to understand the mindset of today’s job seeker and developed the “New Language of Staffing” online course exclusively for staffing professionals with ASA member firms. The course features video modules, online quizzes, and more. It’s part of the “Fundamentals of Recruiting” online course module in the ASA Onboarding Series on ASA Learn. ASA-certified professionals who complete the course earn 0.5 hours of continuing education toward ASA certification renewal.

Visit americanstaffing.net/new-language to learn more.