US staffing companies employed an average of 3.26 million temporary and contract workers per week in the third quarter of 2014, up 6.1 percent from the third quarter of 2013, according to data released today by the American Staffing Association.

“Staffing industry employment has returned to prerecession levels as businesses continue to increase the size of their flexible and permanent workforces in response to sustained increases in demand for their products and services,” said ASA President and CEO Richard Wahlquist. “And, with 4.8 million job openings in the U.S., we see a lot of opportunity for job seekers with marketable skills.”

The ASA staffing employment and sales survey is conducted on a quarterly basis and includes approximately 10,000 establishments, about a third of the industry.