Temporary Employment in the U.S. Increases by 3,400 Amid Overall Job Decline

In July, temporary employment in the U.S. increased by 3,400, while total non-farm employment decreased by 23,000. The unemployment rate remained at 4.1%. The seasonally adjusted temporary employment figure stands at 2,505,000, up from 2,501,600 in June. Overall employment services rose by 4,100 to 3,206,800 compared to the previous month. There is ongoing debate about whether the increase in temporary jobs is an exception to the economic slowdown or an early signal of change. The chief economist of the American Staffing Association (ASA) argued that temporary jobs are transforming the labor market structure. The Conference Board announced that the Employment Trends Index (ETI) for July rose to 107.71, highlighting the increase in temporary jobs as a positive contributor. However, the ETI is only 0.6% higher than a year ago, warning that wage job growth may be limited. According to the ASA report, the weekly index for the period of July 13-19 rose by 0.6%, reaching 90, with staffing jobs increasing by 3.7% compared to the same period last year. However, on a quarterly basis, weakness persists, with temporary and contract staffing employment in Q1 2026 down 7.5% from Q4 2025. The statistics from the BLS and the ASA indicators are based on different populations, which may lead to misinterpretation of labor market trends.

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