Australia – Staffing industry criticises union demands on workers’ rights

An Australian union this week called for a wider application of the portable leave scheme which allows workers to transfer their annual leave and entitlements when they move jobs. But the trade body representing the staffing industry in the country dismissed the demands, which aim to oust flexible working...

China – Hewlett-Packard pushes for harder rules on temporary workers

Multinational computer and technology company Hewlett-Packard (HP) has issued new guidelines to its Chinese suppliers in order to limit the employment of temporary agency workers and students in factories.

The firm asked suppliers to comply with the guidelines immediately as part of a move to address...

Japan – Recruiter Nichii Gakkan posts forecasts

Japan-based healthcare staffing firm Nichii Gakkan (9792:TYO) reported its full-year forecasts on Friday for the 12 months running to March 2013. The company, among the five-largest recruiters in Japan, projects full-year revenues of USD 2.1 billion (JPY 266.80 billion).

Nichii Gakkan has also forecast...

New Zealand – Job scam targets another staffing firm

An Indian national who posed as a recruiter for a New Zealand staffing company tricked thousands of dollars out of foreign workers hoping to get a job in the country. The man claimed to be working for national recruitment firm Advanced Personnel.

He forged documents and offered applicants jobs that paid...

South America – Former Randstad manager to head staffing federation

Former Randstad manager Martín Padulla has been appointed to managing director at the Latin American Confederation of Private Employment Services (CLETT&A). In his new position, Mr Padulla will be responsible for representing and coordinating various member federations.

Between 1997 and 2012 Mr Padulla...

Japan – Meitec revenue up +7%

Japanese engineering staffing firm Meitec Corp. (9744:TYO) today reported net sales of USD 559.5 million (JPY 52.4 billion) in the nine months to December 2012, a +7% increase from a year ago. Consolidated cost of sales rose 4.4%, from a year earlier mainly due to an increase in labour costs but operating...

India – Thomas Cook enters HR market with $47m acquisition

UK-based travel company Thomas Cook this week signed an investment agreement to acquire a 74% stake in IKYA Human Capital Solutions, an HR staffing solutions business headquartered in India.  The deal is worth around USD 47 million (INR 256 crores).

IKYA offers human resources services including...

Japan – Jac Recruitment boosts revenue

Japan-based recruiter Jac Recruitment (2124:OS) today reported that total sales in 2012 amounted to USD 65.3 million (JPY 6.12 billion), compared to USD 53.3 million (JPY 4.99 billion) a year ago, an increase of 23%.

Operating income in the period increased 74% to USD 14.6 million (JPY 1.37 billion) against...

Australia – Part-timers boost employment figures

Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained steady at 5.4%t in January, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today. The number of people employed increased by 10,400 to 11,549,100 last month.

The increase in employment was driven by increased part-time employment, up...

Australia – IT recruiter HiTech sees revenue fall -7%

Australian ICT staffing company HiTech Personnel (HIT:ASX) saw a -7% plunge in revenues during the six months to December 2012. Sales revenue fell to AUD 4.2 million from AUD 4.5 million a year ago, the company reported on Wednesday. This was due to both a decline in the temporary and permanent recruitment...