Posted on July 26, 2022.

Staffing employment increased 4.9% in the week of July 11–17, returning to a rounded value of 106 after a drop over the July Fourth holiday. Several staffing companies cited a holiday or school break as factors preventing further growth. Staffing jobs were up 9.5% from the same week last year.

New starts grew in the 28th week of the year, rising 21.1% from the prior week. About half of staffing companies reported gains in new assignments week-to-week.

The ASA Staffing Index four-week moving average edged up marginally from the prior week but held at a rounded value of 105, as temporary and contract staffing employment for the four weeks ending July 17 was 9.2% higher than the same period in 2021.

“Staffing employment is still holding strong despite a brief decline over the Fourth of July,” said Tim Hulley, ASA assistant director of research. “The ASA Staffing Index continues to measure above last year’s levels and is at an all-time high for July.”

This week, containing the 12th day of the month will be used in the July monthly employment situation report scheduled to be issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Aug. 5.

The ASA Staffing Index is reported nine days after each workweek, making it a near real-time measure of staffing employment trends. ASA Staffing Starts is the number of temporary and contract employees placed in new assignments during the reporting week. ASA research shows that staffing employment has historically been a coincident economic indicator.

Source: Staffing Employment Remains High After Holiday