US staffing employment declined by 3.5% in the second quarter of the year, compared with the first quarter, according to data from the American Staffing Association.

The research found that US recruiters employed an average of 1.9m temporary and contract workers per day from April through June and 30.2% lower than in the second quarter of 2008.

US sales of temporary and contract staffing were $12.7bn in the second quarter of 2009, down 30.3%, a drop of $5.5bn on the same period last year.