Staffing employment for the week of Sept. 6–12, which included the Labor Day holiday, edged up 0.92% from the prior week—with the ASA Staffing index returning to this year’s highest value of 98. Not surprisingly, many survey respondents mentioned the holiday as the main factor limiting further growth. Staffing jobs were up 26.3% from the same week last year, which did not include Labor Day.
New starts were up 2.2% on average, with half (47%) of staffing companies reporting gains in new assignments week-to-week.
The ASA Staffing Index four-week moving average held at a value of 98 for the sixth consecutive reporting period. Temporary and contract staffing employment for the four weeks ending Sept. 12 was 26.6% higher than the same time frame in 2020.
“Despite the Labor Day holiday, staffing employment levels have remained high over the past several weeks,” said Tim Hulley, ASA assistant director of research.
This week, containing the 12th day of the month, will be used in the September monthly employment situation report scheduled to be issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Oct. 1.
