US staffing companies employed an average of 3.13 million temporary and contract workers per week in the first quarter of 2015, up 5.5% from the same period in 2014, according to data released today by the American Staffing Association. ‘Even with weak economic growth in the first quarter, demand for temporary and contract talent increased as businesses increased the size of their flexible and permanent workforces,’ said ASA President and CEO Richard Wahlquist.

‘The continued growth in staffing employment means more long-term opportunities for job seekers. ‘Employment and sales typically peak in the fourth quarter, decline in the first quarter, and grow in subsequent quarters, according to ASA. That seasonal pattern held, with staffing employment contracting 8.0% from the fourth quarter. The ASA staffing employment and sales survey is conducted on a quarterly basis and covers approximately 10,000 establishments