Adecco's 'Where-the-Jobs-Are' Report Shows Increased Hiring in Wisc

    Business Editors

    MADISON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 2005--In advance of the Wisconsin state unemployment report, Adecco (NYSE:ADO), the staffing industry's market leader in the U.S. and the world, today announced it is seeing increased demand for temporary and temp-to-hire workers throughout central Wisconsin.
    Kristen Nelson, area vice president for Adecco in Wisconsin, says, "The current employment outlook in central Wisconsin is quite promising for a wide range of positions in a number of industries. Specifically, we have seen significant increases in hiring in building products, light manufacturing and financial services through the first quarter of this year."
    Financial services call centers are particularly active in their hiring efforts. Additionally, Adecco sees a strong demand in clerical, administrative and customer service work in nearly all local industries. Feedback from Adecco recruiters indicates that local companies anticipate a prosperous year and need additional resources to meet customer demands.
    There is also a strong demand for skilled production positions such as electro-mechanical assemblers and maintenance mechanics. While these jobs are generally reserved for trained and accredited applicants, the current economic environment provides other opportunities for job seekers to move into more advanced positions.
    Nelson explains, "Employers are extremely production focused and continue to maintain lean manufacturing practices. This means that companies seek employees with proven track records for more advanced positions. Adecco associates in entry-level positions who want to upgrade their skills can benefit greatly by signing up for our free tutorials. Adecco tutorials offer more opportunity because they are specifically designed so that associates can gain the skills they need to move into advanced positions."
    Adecco releases its monthly "Where the Jobs Are" report in advance of the state unemployment reports to provide more depth and breadth to the employment picture in selected regions. The report is based on interviews with Adecco recruiters across the country and consists of press releases that report on hiring trends in regions experiencing employment growth. The trends in these regions are not intended to be indicators of nationwide trends.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Information in this release may involve guidance, expectations, beliefs, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based on information available to Adecco S.A. (the "Company") as of the date of this release, and we assume no duty to update any such forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the Company's forward-looking statements include, among other things: the outcome of investigations by governmental agencies or stock exchanges; the pace of economic recovery in various regions and the demand for temporary staffing; the impact and result of any litigation (including US class action litigation); any adverse developments in existing commercial relationships, disputes or legal proceedings; volatility of the Company's stock price; intense competition in the markets in which the Company competes; and negative reactions from the Company's shareholders, creditors or vendors with respect to any of the foregoing matters.
    The statements in this release are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from our current expectations. Numerous factors could cause or contribute to such differences. Please refer to the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 28, 2003, and other reports filed with or submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, for a further discussion of the factors and risks associated with our business.

    About Adecco

    Adecco S.A. is a Forbes 500 company and the global leader in HR Solutions. The Adecco Group network connects up to 700,000 associates with business clients each day through its network of 29,000 employees and 6,000 offices in 71 territories around the world. Registered in Switzerland, and managed by a multinational team with expertise in markets spanning the globe, the Adecco Group delivers an unparalleled range of flexible staffing and career resources to corporate clients and qualified associates.
    The Adecco Group comprises three Divisions: Adecco Staffing, Ajilon Professional and LHH Career Services. In Adecco Staffing, the Adecco network focuses on flexible staffing solutions for global industries in transition, including automotive, banking, electronics, logistics and telecommunications; Ajilon Professional offers an unrivalled range of specialized branded businesses; LHH Career Services encompasses our portfolio of outplacement and coaching consultancy businesses.
    Adecco Staffing USA serves more than 70,000 clients a year through a nationwide network of almost 1,100 points of sales and service. With headquarters in Melville, NY, Adecco employs about 3,100 full-time employees and places more than 130,000 temporary associates each week. Adecco USA is a member of the American Staffing Association, an organization that promotes legal, ethical, and professional practices for the staffing industry.
    Adecco S.A. is registered in Switzerland (ISIN: CH0012138605) and listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange with trading on Virt-x (SWX/VIRT-X:ADEN), the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:ADO) and Euronext Paris - Premier Marche (EURONEXT: ADE).

    Additional information is available at www.adeccousa.com.

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CONTACT: Adecco Victoria Mitchell, 631-844-7412 victoria.mitchell@adeccona.com or On behalf of Adecco Jesse Danzig, 212-279-3115 ext. 213 jesse@cjpcom.com

KEYWORD: WISCONSIN INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HUMAN RESOURCES SOURCE: Adecco

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