Staffing employment edged down during the week of May 11–17, with the ASA Staffing Index decreasing by 0.2% to a value of 88. Staffing companies cited no one particular factor that hindered growth. Staffing jobs were 4.8% higher compared with the same period last year, up from 4.6% recorded the previous week.

New starts, however, increased in the 20th week of the year, up 6.9% from the prior week. More than half of staffing companies (54%) reported gains in new assignments week to week, above the average of 41% so far in 2026.