Is Employment Gaining Steam?

As businesses large and small put the downturn behind them, temp hiring seems to be on a steady rise at last -- a good sign for the whole job market.

The fact that temp employment has picked up bodes well for more jobs overall in 2004. The temp-job total rose nearly 8% from April through November, when it hit 2.3 million, and could rise 6% to 7% in 2004, estimates the Harris Nesbitt Gerard brokerage firm. Forecasters at Economy.com say that overall payrolls could grow at a rate of 150,000 to 175,000 a month by summer, vs. an average of roughly 100,000 in recent months. "We're on the right track," says Brian Nottage, a senior economist at the West Chester (Pa.) consulting firm.

Is this picture consistent with what you are seeing in your labor market area?

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