At the Millennium Personnel Corporation in midtown Manhattan a steady stream of unemployed New Yorkers wait to be interviewed for a temporary job.
Agency President Lainie Bennett says business is booming. In the last year placements are up 75 percent.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the last six months temporary employment nationwide is up 9 percent. Currently 1.9 million Americans are employed as so called temps.
Recently joining their ranks is 22 year old Michael Wassel, who six months after graduating from college still couldn’t find work. After interviewing at Millennium Personnel, Wassel was placed at a New York Internet marketing firm. Although his temporary job as a researcher ends in 3 months Wassel says he “feels better suited for a full time position” due to his experience as a temp.
According to the American Staffing Association, the nationwide group representing temporary employment agencies, temp jobs are available in all sectors. Association President Richard Wahlquist says that includes “manufacturing, logistics, warehousing and distributions through white collar professions.”
While worker’s benefit, so do employers. At Salem Global, where Wassel is employed, company owner Raphi Salem says in the uncertain economy his business can “ scale up, but not make that full commitment” by using temps.
Economists say the spike in temp workers could be a predictor of an improving overall economy.