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

    Business Editors/Human Resources Writers

    BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 2005--In advance of the Massachusetts 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 employees in the Boston area, especially in the finance industry. Boston is one of many locales across the country where Adecco is responding to a growing need for contingent workers from employers in a variety of industries.
    Heather Rice, Adecco area vice president in Boston, says, "We are just coming off staffing retail manufacturing positions during a busy holiday season and now as Tax Day approaches in April, we are entering a very busy season for financial professionals. Adecco is receiving orders for entry-level accountants to work through tax season as well as administrative staff to support the larger financial institutions." Rice further explained the increase in hiring by saying, "Businesses are doing better now than they were a year ago, and companies are starting with new budgets, which can mean they are looking to increase staff."
    Job seekers should take note that in addition to traditional temporary hiring, Adecco branches are receiving more requests for temp-to-hire and direct hire candidates. People who take on temp-to-hire positions can potentially parlay their temporary assignment into a full-time position. People to fill temporary and temp-to-hire positions in executive administration, loan processing, customer service, accounting and quality control inspection are all in high demand from companies in the Boston area.
    As Rice says, "I think this is going to be a really good year for the Boston area in both temporary and permanent hiring."
    Adecco releases its "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.

--30--ML/ny*

CONTACT: Adecco Victoria Mitchell, 631-844-7412 victoria.mitchell@adeccona.com or On behalf of Adecco: Jesse Danzig, 212-279-3115 x213 jesse@cjpcom.com

KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HUMAN RESOURCES PRODUCT SOURCE: Adecco

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