The number of Americans continuing to collect unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, but the government says there’s been an uptick of newly laid-off workers filing first-time claims for jobless benefits.

Here in Denver, Tom Grinstead, co-owner of Temporaries on Stand-by, says it has been a roller-coaster for his business.  They specialize in putting people into same-day, temporary labor jobs in areas such as construction, landscaping, moving and clean-up.  Right now, they’ve got an average of 60 to 90 workers going out on jobs each day, when it used to be more like 150 per day.  Grinstead says he and his partner took over the business in 2002 and they had been growing at a rate of 33 to 38 percent a year.  Now business has regressed and their numbers are closer to what they were in 2005.

Temporaries on Stand-by tells Fox News they have seen a difference in the variety of job seekers who range from homeless to highly skilled professionals seeking entry level work.  Right now, the sign behind their front desk says “No Applications Are Being Accepted at This Time”.  Grinstead explains they’ve had to turn applicants away and the waiting room will fill up with 50 people vying for the same job, getting angry with one another.  He has laid off a few of his own employees this year and now he wears all hats everyday, working as a dispatcher and covering tasks that used to be handled by others.

Grinstead has also noticed a shift in the types and sizes of job postings.  People who are doing their own landscaping or home renovations are now calling for temporary help.  Moving companies are seeking temps on their smaller jobs, instead of using staff.