The average number of temporary agency workers in Italy in September 2019 fell by 4% on an annual basis, according to figures from Ebitemp, the bilateral organisation for temporary employment representing employers’ associations and unions.

The 4% decrease in September was an improvement from August’s 5.4% decrease.

Total payroll for temporary agency workers fell slightly by 0.1% in September compared to the same month last year.

Ebitemp’s data also showed that the number of hours worked in September 2019 decreased by 1.5% on an annual basis. Broken down by hours worked per worker, Ebitemp recorded an increase of 2.6% compared to the previous year.

Data from Eurostat for September 2019 found that the unemployment rate in Italy stood at 9.9%.