This chart by Mercatus Center Senior Research Fellow Veronique de Rugy illustrates the movements of one indicator of an economic recovery: temporary staffing levels.  Employers often hire temporary employees, who require less commitment and expense, before hiring permanent ones; an uptick in temporary employment signals that employers anticipate growing payrolls.  The data however, show that temp employment, which was quickly increasing until November 2009, has been slowing throughout 2010.