Seasonally adjusted temporary help employment was up 0.5 percent over July 2014 and 8 percent over August 2013, according to the monthly employment situation report released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the pace of year-to-year growth has moderated from around 9.0% at the beginning of this year, the average over the past 12 months remained strong at 8.4 percent.

Non-seasonally adjusted BLS data, which estimate the actual number of jobs in the economy, indicated that temporary help employment increased 2.4 percent from July, and 7.9 percent from the same month last year.

“Despite some uncertainty in the strength of the economy,” says Richard Wahlquist, president and chief executive officer of the American Staffing Association, “staffing and recruiting firms report that clients are continuing to strategically increase their hiring of permanent and flexible workers.”

Total U.S. nonfarm payroll employment rose by 142,000 jobs in August (seasonally adjusted), BLS reported. Incorporating revisions for June and July, monthly job gains averaged 207,000 over the past three months, down from an average of 212,000 per month since August of last year.

The unemployment rate went down slightly to 6.1 percent in August from 6.2 percent in July.

BLS also released preliminary July employment data for search and placement services. Seasonally adjusted, employment increased 0.4 percent from June to July, and 8.9 percent year-over-year, totaling 318,800—the greatest number of jobs in the search and placement industry since June 2006.