Staffing Firms Add 23,200 Jobs in September. Temporary help employment increased 0.8% from August to September, according to seasonally adjusted data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Staffing employment was 1.9% higher than in September 2015. Over the past 12 months, BLS reported, year-to-year staffing job growth averaged 2.1% per month.

Nonseasonally adjusted BLS data, which estimate the actual number of jobs in the economy, indicated that temporary help employment increased 2.2% from August to September. Year-to-year, there were 1.9% more staffing employees in September than in the same month last year.

“While today’s employment numbers are encouraging, there are currently close to six million job openings that U.S. businesses are unable to fill because of skills gap challenges and talent shortages,” said Richard Wahlquist, president and chief executive officer of the American Staffing Association. “To be competitive in local and global markets and respond to technological changes, companies need to place more emphasis on strategic talent acquisition, talent development, talent reskilling, and lifelong learning.”

Total U.S. nonfarm payroll employment increased by 156,000 jobs in September (seasonally adjusted), BLS reported. Incorporating revisions for July and August, job gains averaged 192,000 per month over the past three months, less than the average of 203,000 for the prior 12 months.

The unemployment rate was little changed at 5.0% in September compared with 4.9% in August.

BLS also released preliminary August employment data for search and placement services, which, seasonally adjusted, remained unchanged from July. Search and placement jobs totaled 315,800 in August, 4.6% higher than in the same month last year.

BLS also released preliminary July employment data for search and placement services, which, seasonally adjusted, decreased 0.1% from June. Search and placement jobs totaled 315,400 in July, 4.8% higher than in the same month last year.
Source:  American Staffing Association