Temporary and contract staffing employment edged down 0.8% in the week of Feb. 11 to Feb. 17 compared to the same week last year, according to the American Staffing Association’s staffing index. However, the year-ago week had set a record high for the seventh week of the year. Some survey respondents cited winter storms as factors that hindered growth of staffing jobs.

Week over week, the ASA Staffing Index was essentially unchanged for the second consecutive week, up 0.02% to a value of 93.

The index’s four-week moving average decreased from 94 to 93. While staffing employment for the four weeks ending Feb. 17 contracted 0.9% year-to-year, the value of 93 remains well above the historical average of 87 for the comparable period, indicating a healthy staffing labor market, according to the ASA.