After ending 2014 on a low, temporary employment rebounded somewhat in January 2015 across France, rising by 1.2% compared with the same month last year, according to the latest figures from Prism-Emploi, the French Association of Employment Agencies.

The rise follows a decline of 4.1% in December 2014, the sharpest year-on-year drop in a single month during 2014. May and June were the only months last year to report an increase in temporary employment compared with the same month the previous year.

With the exception of the Construction industry, which reported a decrease of 17% in temporary employment, the other sectors covered by the report reported an uptick in temporary employment in January.

Transportation & Logistics reported growth of 6.5%, followed by the Industrial segment with 4.1% and the Services segment with 3.8%. There was no change reported by the Retail segment, with results were on par with January 2014.

There were 13.8% more unskilled blue-collar workers during the month, compared with last year. The number of managers and executives rose by 6.1% while white-collar workers were up by 1.8%. Skilled blue-collar workers, however, reported a decrease of 14.3%, compared with a year ago.

Of the 21 French regions, 13 reported an increase in temporary worker numbers during January. The strongest growth was reported in Lorraine (14.5), followed by Upper (Haute) Normandy (13.8%), and Languedoc-Roussillon (9.6%).

The strongest decreases were in Poitou-Charentes (5.5%), Picardi (4.0%), and the Ile-De-France (3.3%). 

Umanis, an independent third party, prepare the Prism’Emploi Barometer. It is based on statistics reported by a panel of temporary employment agencies representing more than 80% of temporary employment in France.