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TEMPORARY HELP JOBS

employees, thousands, seasonally adjusted · 1990–2026 · neither direction is "better" · BLS Current Employment Statistics, via FRED TEMPHELPS

2.52M

Aug 2026 (latest)

3.04M

Nov 2022

3.16M

high · Mar 2022

1.95M

low · Apr 2020

−17%

since Nov 2022

50 Years Since 2000 10 Years 5 Years 1 Year

┊ on the monthly chart the dashed line marks ChatGPT released (Nov 30, 2022); on the annual views, 1991 Gulf War recession · 2001 Dot-com bust & 9/11 · 2008 Global financial crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

Method & caveats. All employees in Temporary Help Services (NAICS 56132), the staffing-agency workforce that employers cut first and hire first — a long-known leading indicator of the labor cycle, not an AI-specific measure. Monthly, seasonally adjusted, from January 1990. Annual figure is the twelve-month average.

Sources

Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:

Monthly data

The publisher's own cadence, every period. The annual table below is derived from these values (annual average); the annual figures are what the almanac pages and the machine-readable exports carry.

Period	Temporary Help Jobs	Change
Aug 2026	2.52M	+0%
Jul 2026	2.51M	+0%
Jun 2026	2.51M	+1%
May 2026	2.49M	+0%
Apr 2026	2.49M	+0%
Mar 2026	2.48M	+0%
Feb 2026	2.47M	+0%
Jan 2026	2.47M	+1%
Dec 2025	2.45M	−1%
Nov 2025	2.47M	+1%
Oct 2025	2.45M	−1%
Sep 2025	2.47M	−0%
Aug 2025	2.48M	−0%
Jul 2025	2.49M	−0%
Jun 2025	2.50M	−0%
May 2025	2.51M	−1%
Apr 2025	2.53M	−0%
Mar 2025	2.53M	−0%
Feb 2025	2.53M	−0%
Jan 2025	2.54M	−0%
Dec 2024	2.54M	−0%
Nov 2024	2.55M	+0%
Oct 2024	2.55M	−1%
Sep 2024	2.56M	−1%
Aug 2024	2.58M	−1%
Jul 2024	2.60M	−1%
Jun 2024	2.62M	−1%
May 2024	2.64M	−1%
Apr 2024	2.66M	−1%
Mar 2024	2.67M	−0%
Feb 2024	2.68M	−1%
Jan 2024	2.69M	+0%
Dec 2023	2.69M	−2%
Nov 2023	2.73M	−1%
Oct 2023	2.77M	−1%
Sep 2023	2.79M	−1%
Aug 2023	2.81M	−1%
Jul 2023	2.83M	−1%
Jun 2023	2.87M	−1%
May 2023	2.90M	−0%
Apr 2023	2.91M	−0%
Mar 2023	2.92M	−1%
Feb 2023	2.95M	−1%
Jan 2023	2.97M	−0%
Dec 2022	2.97M	−2%
Nov 2022	3.04M	−1%
Oct 2022	3.07M	−0%
Sep 2022	3.08M	+0%
Aug 2022	3.08M	−0%
Jul 2022	3.10M	−0%
Jun 2022	3.11M	−0%
May 2022	3.11M	−1%
Apr 2022	3.13M	−1%
Mar 2022	3.16M	+0%
Feb 2022	3.15M	+2%
Jan 2022	3.08M	−0%
Dec 2021	3.08M	+1%
Nov 2021	3.05M	+1%
Oct 2021	3.02M	+4%
Sep 2021	2.91M	+0%
Aug 2021	2.90M	+0%
Jul 2021	2.89M	+1%
Jun 2021	2.86M	+2%
May 2021	2.81M	−0%
Apr 2021	2.82M	−2%
Mar 2021	2.87M	+1%
Feb 2021	2.83M	+1%
Jan 2021	2.80M	+2%
Dec 2020	2.75M	+3%
Nov 2020	2.68M	+3%
Oct 2020	2.60M	+4%
Sep 2020	2.50M	+1%
Aug 2020	2.48M	+5%
Jul 2020	2.36M	+6%
Jun 2020	2.22M	+10%
May 2020	2.03M	+4%
Apr 2020	1.95M	−32%
Mar 2020	2.87M	−1%
Feb 2020	2.89M	−1%
Jan 2020	2.92M	−1%
Dec 2019	2.94M	−0%
Nov 2019	2.95M	−0%
Oct 2019	2.96M	−1%
Sep 2019	2.98M	+0%
Aug 2019	2.97M	+0%
Jul 2019	2.96M	−0%
Jun 2019	2.96M	+0%
May 2019	2.96M	+0%
Apr 2019	2.95M	+1%
Mar 2019	2.94M	−0%
Feb 2019	2.94M	−0%
Jan 2019	2.95M	−1%
Dec 2018	2.98M	−0%
Nov 2018	2.99M	−0%
Oct 2018	3.00M	+0%
Sep 2018	3.00M	+0%
Aug 2018	3.00M	+0%
Jul 2018	3.00M	−0%
Jun 2018	3.00M	+0%
May 2018	3.00M	+0%
Apr 2018	2.99M	+0%
Mar 2018	2.99M	+0%
Feb 2018	2.98M	+0%
Jan 2018	2.97M	+0%
Dec 2017	2.97M	+0%
Nov 2017	2.97M	+0%
Oct 2017	2.96M	+1%
Sep 2017	2.95M	−0%
Aug 2017	2.96M	+0%
Jul 2017	2.96M	+0%
Jun 2017	2.95M	+0%
May 2017	2.93M	+1%
Apr 2017	2.91M	−0%
Mar 2017	2.91M	+0%
Feb 2017	2.90M	−0%
Jan 2017	2.91M	+0%
Dec 2016	2.91M	+0%
Nov 2016	2.90M	+0%
Oct 2016	2.89M	−0%
Sep 2016	2.90M	+1%
Aug 2016	2.88M	−0%
Jul 2016	2.88M	+0%
Jun 2016	2.88M	+1%
May 2016	2.86M	−1%
Apr 2016	2.88M	−0%
Mar 2016	2.89M	+0%
Feb 2016	2.89M	−0%
Jan 2016	2.89M	−1%
Dec 2015	2.93M	+1%
Nov 2015	2.89M	−0%
Oct 2015	2.90M	+0%
Sep 2015	2.88M	−0%
Aug 2015	2.89M	+0%
Jul 2015	2.88M	−0%
Jun 2015	2.89M	+0%
May 2015	2.87M	+1%
Apr 2015	2.85M	+0%
Mar 2015	2.84M	+0%
Feb 2015	2.84M	+0%
Jan 2015	2.84M	+0%
Dec 2014	2.83M	+1%
Nov 2014	2.82M	+0%
Oct 2014	2.81M	+0%
Sep 2014	2.81M	+1%
Aug 2014	2.79M	+1%
Jul 2014	2.77M	+1%
Jun 2014	2.75M	+1%
May 2014	2.74M	+0%
Apr 2014	2.73M	+0%
Mar 2014	2.72M	+0%
Feb 2014	2.70M	+1%
Jan 2014	2.68M	−0%
Dec 2013	2.69M	+1%
Nov 2013	2.66M	+1%
Oct 2013	2.64M	+0%
Sep 2013	2.64M	+0%
Aug 2013	2.63M	+0%
Jul 2013	2.62M	+0%
Jun 2013	2.62M	+0%
May 2013	2.61M	+0%
Apr 2013	2.60M	+1%
Mar 2013	2.59M	+1%
Feb 2013	2.57M	+1%
Jan 2013	2.55M	+0%
Dec 2012	2.54M	+0%
Nov 2012	2.54M	+1%
Oct 2012	2.52M	+1%
Sep 2012	2.49M	−1%
Aug 2012	2.52M	+0%
Jul 2012	2.52M	+0%
Jun 2012	2.51M	+1%
May 2012	2.48M	+0%
Apr 2012	2.47M	+0%
Mar 2012	2.47M	−0%
Feb 2012	2.47M	+2%
Jan 2012	2.43M	+1%
Dec 2011	2.40M	+1%
Nov 2011	2.38M	+1%
Oct 2011	2.36M	+1%
Sep 2011	2.34M	+1%
Aug 2011	2.31M	+2%
Jul 2011	2.27M	−0%
Jun 2011	2.28M	−1%
May 2011	2.29M	+0%
Apr 2011	2.29M	−0%
Mar 2011	2.30M	+1%
Feb 2011	2.27M	+2%
Jan 2011	2.23M	−1%
Dec 2010	2.26M	+2%
Nov 2010	2.21M	+1%
Oct 2010	2.18M	+2%
Sep 2010	2.15M	+1%
Aug 2010	2.12M	+1%
Jul 2010	2.10M	+0%
Jun 2010	2.09M	+1%
May 2010	2.07M	+2%
Apr 2010	2.02M	+1%
Mar 2010	1.99M	+1%
Feb 2010	1.97M	+1%
Jan 2010	1.95M	+3%
Dec 2009	1.91M	+2%
Nov 2009	1.87M	+3%
Oct 2009	1.81M	+2%
Sep 2009	1.78M	+1%
Aug 2009	1.76M	−0%
Jul 2009	1.76M	+0%
Jun 2009	1.75M	−1%
May 2009	1.77M	−0%
Apr 2009	1.78M	−3%
Mar 2009	1.84M	−3%
Feb 2009	1.90M	−3%
Jan 2009	1.97M	−4%
Dec 2008	2.05M	−4%
Nov 2008	2.13M	−5%
Oct 2008	2.23M	−3%
Sep 2008	2.31M	−1%
Aug 2008	2.34M	−1%
Jul 2008	2.37M	−1%
Jun 2008	2.40M	−1%
May 2008	2.43M	−1%
Apr 2008	2.46M	−1%
Mar 2008	2.49M	−1%
Feb 2008	2.51M	−2%
Jan 2008	2.55M	+0%
Dec 2007	2.54M	−0%
Nov 2007	2.55M	−1%
Oct 2007	2.57M	+0%
Sep 2007	2.56M	−1%
Aug 2007	2.59M	−0%
Jul 2007	2.59M	−0%
Jun 2007	2.60M	−0%
May 2007	2.61M	−1%
Apr 2007	2.63M	−1%
Mar 2007	2.65M	+0%
Feb 2007	2.64M	−0%
Jan 2007	2.65M	+1%
Dec 2006	2.64M	+0%
Nov 2006	2.63M	−0%
Oct 2006	2.63M	−0%
Sep 2006	2.64M	−0%
Aug 2006	2.65M	+0%
Jul 2006	2.64M	−0%
Jun 2006	2.65M	−0%
May 2006	2.65M	+1%
Apr 2006	2.64M	−0%
Mar 2006	2.64M	+0%
Feb 2006	2.63M	+0%
Jan 2006	2.62M	−0%
Dec 2005	2.63M	+0%
Nov 2005	2.63M	+1%
Oct 2005	2.60M	+0%
Sep 2005	2.60M	+2%
Aug 2005	2.56M	+1%
Jul 2005	2.54M	+0%
Jun 2005	2.53M	+1%
May 2005	2.51M	−0%
Apr 2005	2.51M	+1%
Mar 2005	2.49M	+0%
Feb 2005	2.49M	+1%
Jan 2005	2.46M	+1%
Dec 2004	2.43M	−1%
Nov 2004	2.46M	−1%
Oct 2004	2.48M	+2%
Sep 2004	2.42M	+1%
Aug 2004	2.40M	+0%
Jul 2004	2.40M	+1%
Jun 2004	2.38M	+0%
May 2004	2.38M	+1%
Apr 2004	2.35M	+2%
Mar 2004	2.31M	+0%
Feb 2004	2.31M	+1%
Jan 2004	2.30M	+0%
Dec 2003	2.29M	+1%
Nov 2003	2.28M	+1%
Oct 2003	2.26M	+0%
Sep 2003	2.26M	+1%
Aug 2003	2.25M	−0%
Jul 2003	2.25M	+1%
Jun 2003	2.22M	+1%
May 2003	2.19M	+2%
Apr 2003	2.14M	−1%
Mar 2003	2.17M	−1%
Feb 2003	2.18M	−1%
Jan 2003	2.20M	+2%
Dec 2002	2.16M	−1%
Nov 2002	2.18M	−1%
Oct 2002	2.20M	−0%
Sep 2002	2.21M	−1%
Aug 2002	2.23M	+2%
Jul 2002	2.19M	−2%
Jun 2002	2.23M	+0%
May 2002	2.23M	+0%
Apr 2002	2.22M	+1%
Mar 2002	2.19M	+2%
Feb 2002	2.16M	+0%
Jan 2002	2.15M	+0%
Dec 2001	2.14M	−1%
Nov 2001	2.16M	−3%
Oct 2001	2.22M	−2%
Sep 2001	2.26M	−2%
Aug 2001	2.30M	−1%
Jul 2001	2.31M	−1%
Jun 2001	2.34M	−2%
May 2001	2.38M	−1%
Apr 2001	2.40M	−3%
Mar 2001	2.49M	−2%
Feb 2001	2.53M	−1%
Jan 2001	2.57M	−1%
Dec 2000	2.59M	−2%
Nov 2000	2.63M	+0%
Oct 2000	2.63M	−0%
Sep 2000	2.64M	+0%
Aug 2000	2.64M	−0%
Jul 2000	2.64M	−0%
Jun 2000	2.65M	+0%
May 2000	2.65M	−1%
Apr 2000	2.68M	+1%
Mar 2000	2.65M	+1%
Feb 2000	2.62M	+0%
Jan 2000	2.62M	+1%
Dec 1999	2.60M	+1%
Nov 1999	2.57M	+1%
Oct 1999	2.55M	+3%
Sep 1999	2.48M	−0%
Aug 1999	2.48M	+0%
Jul 1999	2.48M	+1%
Jun 1999	2.45M	+1%
May 1999	2.43M	+1%
Apr 1999	2.42M	+1%
Mar 1999	2.40M	+1%
Feb 1999	2.39M	+1%
Jan 1999	2.36M	+1%
Dec 1998	2.33M	+1%
Nov 1998	2.31M	+1%
Oct 1998	2.28M	+2%
Sep 1998	2.24M	−1%
Aug 1998	2.27M	+1%
Jul 1998	2.25M	−0%
Jun 1998	2.25M	+1%
May 1998	2.22M	+1%
Apr 1998	2.20M	+0%
Mar 1998	2.19M	+0%
Feb 1998	2.19M	+1%
Jan 1998	2.18M	+1%
Dec 1997	2.16M	+1%
Nov 1997	2.14M	+1%
Oct 1997	2.11M	+1%
Sep 1997	2.08M	+1%
Aug 1997	2.07M	−1%
Jul 1997	2.09M	+1%
Jun 1997	2.06M	+1%
May 1997	2.05M	+1%
Apr 1997	2.03M	+1%
Mar 1997	2.00M	+2%
Feb 1997	1.97M	+1%
Jan 1997	1.95M	+1%
Dec 1996	1.93M	+1%
Nov 1996	1.91M	+2%
Oct 1996	1.88M	−1%
Sep 1996	1.89M	+0%
Aug 1996	1.88M	+1%
Jul 1996	1.87M	+1%
Jun 1996	1.85M	+1%
May 1996	1.83M	+1%
Apr 1996	1.81M	+1%
Mar 1996	1.80M	+0%
Feb 1996	1.79M	+2%
Jan 1996	1.75M	−2%
Dec 1995	1.78M	+0%
Nov 1995	1.77M	+0%
Oct 1995	1.77M	+0%
Sep 1995	1.77M	+2%
Aug 1995	1.74M	+1%
Jul 1995	1.72M	+0%
Jun 1995	1.72M	−0%
May 1995	1.72M	−1%
Apr 1995	1.73M	−0%
Mar 1995	1.74M	−1%
Feb 1995	1.75M	+0%
Jan 1995	1.74M	+1%
Dec 1994	1.72M	+0%
Nov 1994	1.72M	+1%
Oct 1994	1.69M	+1%
Sep 1994	1.68M	+1%
Aug 1994	1.66M	+0%
Jul 1994	1.66M	+2%
Jun 1994	1.63M	+2%
May 1994	1.60M	+0%
Apr 1994	1.59M	+2%
Mar 1994	1.57M	+3%
Feb 1994	1.53M	+2%
Jan 1994	1.50M	+1%
Dec 1993	1.49M	+1%
Nov 1993	1.47M	+0%
Oct 1993	1.46M	+3%
Sep 1993	1.42M	+1%
Aug 1993	1.41M	+1%
Jul 1993	1.40M	+1%
Jun 1993	1.38M	+1%
May 1993	1.36M	+2%
Apr 1993	1.34M	+2%
Mar 1993	1.32M	+1%
Feb 1993	1.30M	+1%
Jan 1993	1.29M	+1%
Dec 1992	1.28M	+1%
Nov 1992	1.26M	+1%
Oct 1992	1.25M	+2%
Sep 1992	1.23M	+1%
Aug 1992	1.22M	+1%
Jul 1992	1.21M	+0%
Jun 1992	1.21M	+1%
May 1992	1.20M	+1%
Apr 1992	1.18M	+1%
Mar 1992	1.17M	+1%
Feb 1992	1.16M	+1%
Jan 1992	1.15M	+1%
Dec 1991	1.14M	+1%
Nov 1991	1.13M	+0%
Oct 1991	1.13M	+0%
Sep 1991	1.13M	+1%
Aug 1991	1.12M	+1%
Jul 1991	1.11M	−0%
Jun 1991	1.11M	+0%
May 1991	1.11M	−0%
Apr 1991	1.11M	−0%
Mar 1991	1.12M	−1%
Feb 1991	1.13M	−2%
Jan 1991	1.14M	+2%
Dec 1990	1.13M	−1%
Nov 1990	1.14M	−0%
Oct 1990	1.14M	−2%
Sep 1990	1.16M	+0%
Aug 1990	1.16M	−1%
Jul 1990	1.17M	+0%
Jun 1990	1.16M	+0%
May 1990	1.16M	−0%
Apr 1990	1.16M	−1%
Mar 1990	1.17M	+0%
Feb 1990	1.17M	+0%
Jan 1990	1.16M	—

Annual data

Year	Temporary Help Jobs	Change
2026	2.49M	−0%
2025	2.50M	−4%
2024	2.61M	−8%
2023	2.84M	−8%
2022	3.09M	+6%
2021	2.90M	+15%
2020	2.52M	−15%
2019	2.96M	−1%
2018	2.99M	+2%
2017	2.94M	+2%
2016	2.89M	+0%
2015	2.88M	+4%
2014	2.76M	+5%
2013	2.62M	+5%
2012	2.50M	+8%
2011	2.31M	+11%
2010	2.09M	+15%
2009	1.82M	−23%
2008	2.35M	−9%
2007	2.60M	−2%
2006	2.64M	+4%
2005	2.55M	+7%
2004	2.39M	+7%
2003	2.22M	+1%
2002	2.19M	−6%
2001	2.34M	−11%
2000	2.64M	+7%
1999	2.47M	+10%
1998	2.24M	+9%
1997	2.06M	+11%
1996	1.85M	+6%
1995	1.74M	+7%
1994	1.63M	+17%
1993	1.39M	+15%
1992	1.21M	+8%
1991	1.12M	−3%
1990	1.16M	—

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