Year-over-year growth rates in the prices paid for staffing services remained above mid-2011 levels. However, they are still below the growth rates of late 2010 and early 2011.

The U.S. producer price index for employment services rose to a reading of 127.0 in November, up 1.1 percent from the November 2011 reading, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released today. That follows year-over-year increase of 0.8 percent in October and 1.1 percent in September.

The data is not seasonally adjusted.

Producer price indexes track the change in price received by service producers over time. The change in price is measured from the perspective of the seller, in this case staffing firms.

The employment services industry includes employment placement agencies, temporary help services, executive search services and professional employer organizations. Employment services is just one industry tracked by the producer price indexes.

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