ASA Staffing Index Reaches 76-Week High in April

The American Staffing Association (ASA) reported that its weekly index reached a 76-week high of 88 during the last week of April, the highest reading since the second week of November 2008, almost 18 months ago (see top chart above). In the first 13 weeks of the year, the Staffing Index has increased or remained flat every week except one. Compared to the same week in the previous year, the ASA index has registered double-digit percentage increases for the last 11 weeks (see bottom chart above).

Note: Temporary hiring is often the first step towards a permanent, full-time position, and it's becoming increasingly common for companies to hire new workers on a 90-day temporary basis, and then those temporary positions often get converted to full-time positions after the trial period.

For example: "Temporary employment is filling a key niche during the current spike in joblessness. But, perhaps its most important function is that it doesn't necessarily have to be temporary. More employers are starting to turn interim positions into full-time job opportunities."