Compensation costs in Q4 see smallest increase since 2021

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased by 0.9% for the three-month period ending in December 2023, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Jan. 31. Wages and salaries rose by 0.9%, while benefit costs increased by 0.7% from September 2023.

The increase in compensation costs was the lowest...

Nominate a DE&I influencer

Nominations are still being accepted for SIA’s fourth annual 2024 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Influencers US and Canada list.

This list recognizes professionals who are leading the charge to create opportunities for historically excluded communities in the workforce solutions ecosystem....

Investment firm Onex acquires majority stake in Morson Group

Onex Corp. (TSX: ONEX), a Toronto-based investment firm, today announced a majority investment in Morson Group, the sixth-largest staffing firm in the UK.

Morson is based in Manchester, UK, and focuses on engineering, IT and technical staffing as well as RPO. It has a history spanning 55 years and employs...

Employment Trends Index highest since May 2023

The Conference Board Employment Trends Index rose in January to a reading of 113.71, up from a downwardly revised reading of 112.91 in December 2023. The index is at its highest since May 2023 and suggests job growth in the coming months.

“The ETI increased for a second consecutive month, suggesting...

US service sector activity reaches seven-month high

Business activity in the US service sector accelerated to a seven-month high in January amid an increase in new orders, according to the S&P Global US Services PMI.

“The US service sector started the year in a sweet spot, with output and demand growth accelerating while price pressures cooled markedly,”...

Canadian service economy contracts in January

Canada’s service economy contracted in January, with reductions in activity and new business, according to the S&P Global Canada Services PMI. Companies reported high interest rates and general caution among clients weighed on the sector.

The S&P Global Canada Services Business Activity Index...

Misclassification harms competition, FTC commissioner says

Independent contractor misclassification isn’t just a concern for labor rights — it’s a concern when it comes to competition, Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya of the Federal Trade Commission said in a speech Feb. 2.

“People need to know that there are places here in America where people work 60, 70,...

Survey opens for largest, fastest-growing and diversity-owned staffing firms lists

Staffing Industry Analysts’ annual survey to determine the largest and fastest-growing staffing firms for 2024 is now open. SIA compiles and publishes the lists of staffing firms each year based on this annual survey.

Distributed to both staffing buyers and investors, the lists provide free publicity...

Jobs number beats expectations in January; temp stabilizing

The US added 353,000 nonfarm jobs in January, including 3,900 temp jobs, based on US Bureau of Labor Statistics seasonally adjusted data released today. The increase in nonfarm employment was above economists’ estimates and higher than the average monthly gain of 255,000 last year. The monthly rise...

Consumer sentiment highest since 2021: University of Michigan

Consumer sentiment in the US rose in January to its highest level since July 2021, according to final results from the University of Michigan Survey of Consumers released today.

The index of consumer sentiment rose to a reading of 79.0 in January from 69.7 in December 2023, marking the second consecutive...