ASA Chief Economist: Temporary Help Services Adding Jobs at Second-Highest Rate of Any Industry in 2026

NewsData.io · United States · Aug 24, 2026

American Staffing Association Chief Economist Noah Yosif reports that temporary help services has added the second-highest number of jobs of any BLS-tracked industry in 2026, with growth every month including 3,400 jobs in July — accounting for one in ten jobs created this year. Yosif attributes the rebound to converging preferences: employers seeking workforce flexibility amid inflation and economic uncertainty, and young workers (40% of temp workers in 2025 were aged 18–29) favoring contract arrangements over traditional career paths. Rising demand spans construction, transportation, professional services, healthcare, and government sectors. Yosif warns that as contract work expands, employers will need to compete harder for talent while workers will require stronger safety nets such as portable benefits and microcredentialing to sustain long-term careers.