Westaff Chooses National Associate of the Year Out of Wichita, Kansas, In Annual Awards Program

KANSAS,WICHITA January 18, 2007 - Westaff, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSTF) Eric Marsh, a conscientious employee who takes pride in his job, is the 2006 National Associate of the Year, announced Westaff, one of the country's top-tier staffing and employment companies. Westaff's Associate of the Year Awards is an annual program that honors the remarkable, on-the-job efforts made every day by its temporary staffing employees.

Marsh, of Wichita, Kansas, a meter reader for Kansas Gas Service in Wichita, was chosen as Westaff's National Associate from among dozens of associates who were honored throughout the year by their local Westaff branches. Westaff annually provides some 125,000 temporary and permanent placement staffing associates.

"I try to be conscientious," Marsh said. "I have an idea about how my job should be performed and I work to meet that goal. I pay attention to details."

Marsh added that Westaff has treated him well over the years: "I've always liked working with [Westaff Branch Manager] Annette [Souza] and of course the people at Kansas Gas – they're a great bunch and they make it easy to do well."

Marsh was employed through Westaff's Wichita, Kansas, branch in September of 2000, and soon stood out as one of Westaff's "best of the best": "Eric is an outstanding asset to our company," said Mike Dillon, Kansas Gas Service Meter Reader Supervisor. "He takes pride in his job. He's dependable, conscientious and always has a pleasant attitude."

Among the criteria for the award are: an excellent attitude and work performance; the ability to work well with others; a willingness to "go the extra mile"; a great work attendance report and an ability to make a real difference to a client company and/or community.

"Westaff appreciates Mr. Marsh's hard work, loyalty and outstanding service," commented Trish Newman, Westaff's President and Chief Executive Officer. "He's given 110% every day. We appreciate his level of dedication and how he demonstrates the values we embrace here at Westaff."

"Eric is very dedicated and serious about his job," added Westaff's Wichita, Kansas Branch Manager Annette Souza. "He is one of our all-time best associates."

Marsh will receive a $1,000 cash prize and an Associate of the Year certificate to acknowledge him as being one of the best of hundreds of thousands of associates who have worked for Westaff.

Westaff provides some 125,000 temporary and permanent placement employees annually for a diverse portfolio of clients in both commercial and industrial business sectors.

Temporary workers perform a valuable function for the nation's economy, allowing companies to quickly adjust their workforce based on changes in the flow of work, providing cost savings and efficiencies that are significant to a company's bottom line.

America's staffing companies employed an average of 2.9 million temporary and contract workers per day in 2005. That figure increased in the fourth quarter to an average of 3.1 million per day, according to the American Staffing Association (ASA).

For a growing number of workers, temporary employment is also an ideal way to find their first job, reenter the workforce and benefit from free skills training according to ASA statistics. During 2005—taking into account the high turnover (over 300%) inherent with temporary and contract work—U.S. staffing firms hired 12.1 million employees.