Short-Term Borrowings	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Short-term Debt [Abstract]
Short-Term Borrowings	Short-Term Borrowings On November 30, 2012, CDI Corp., its direct wholly-owned subsidiary, CDI Corporation, and its indirect subsidiary, CDI AndersElite Limited (each a “Borrower”), entered into a Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with Bank of America, N.A. (the “Bank”). The Credit Agreement established a $75.0 million revolving line of credit facility (including a $5.0 million UK overdraft facility) that expires on November 29, 2017. The Company intends to repay outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2012 during 2013 and as a result has recorded these borrowings in "Short-term borrowings" in the consolidated balance sheets. Borrowings under this line of credit may be used by the Company and the other Borrowers for general business purposes or for letters of credit. The Borrowers' obligations under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by three indirect subsidiaries of the Company: CDI-Infrastructure, LLC, CDI Marine Company and MRI Contract Staffing, Inc. The obligations of the three Borrowers and the three guarantors (the “Loan Parties”) are unsecured. Interest on borrowings under the facility are based on either an “Overnight Rate,” “Sterling Overnight Rate,” “LIBOR” or a “Base Rate” (each as set forth in the Credit Agreement), as chosen by the applicable Borrower each time it wishes to borrow funds. The “Applicable Rate” (as set forth in the Credit Agreement) equals either (i) the Overnight Rate, Sterling Overnight Rate or LIBOR plus a number of basis points (ranging from 1.25% to 2.00%) or (ii) the Base Rate plus a number of basis points (ranging from 0.25% to 1.00%), in each case depending on the Company's consolidated leverage ratio (which is the ratio of consolidated funded indebtedness to consolidated EBITDA, as defined in the Credit Agreement). There are customary fees associated with the facility including, but not limited to, an unused commitment fee at the rate of 0.15% to 0.225% on the daily amount of the Bank's unused commitment. The Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative covenants and certain restrictive covenants which limit the Company with respect to, among other things, creating liens on its assets, incurring indebtedness, making acquisitions and other investments, and disposing of assets other than in the ordinary course of business. The Credit Agreement also contains financial covenants which require the Company not to exceed a maximum consolidated leverage ratio (consolidated funded indebtedness to consolidated EBITDA) of 2.5 to 1.0 and to maintain a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.2 to 1.0. The preceding financial covenant terms are as defined in the Credit Agreement. The Company was in compliance with all covenants under the Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2012. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had outstanding borrowings of $2.8 million, letters of credit outstanding of $3.1 million and $69.1 million available to borrow under the Credit Agreement. Interest was payable at the rate of 1.46% per annum for outstanding borrowings as of December 31, 2012. The Company's credit agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. expired on November 30, 2012. Upon expiration, the Company entered into a letter agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. to keep in effect an existing standby letter of credit that expires July 1, 2013. The Company provided cash in the amount of $0.4 million to fully collateralize the standby letter of credit, which restricted cash is recorded to "Prepaid expenses and other current assets" in the consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2011, there were no outstanding borrowings under the credit agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

Short-Term Borrowings

On November 30, 2012, CDI Corp., its direct wholly-owned subsidiary, CDI Corporation, and its indirect subsidiary, CDI AndersElite Limited (each a “Borrower”), entered into a Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with Bank of America, N.A. (the “Bank”). The Credit Agreement established a $75.0 million revolving line of credit facility (including a $5.0 million UK overdraft facility) that expires on November 29, 2017. The Company intends to repay outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2012 during 2013 and as a result has recorded these borrowings in "Short-term borrowings" in the consolidated balance sheets. Borrowings under this line of credit may be used by the Company and the other Borrowers for general business purposes or for letters of credit.

The Borrowers' obligations under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by three indirect subsidiaries of the Company: CDI-Infrastructure, LLC, CDI Marine Company and MRI Contract Staffing, Inc. The obligations of the three Borrowers and the three guarantors (the “Loan Parties”) are unsecured.

Interest on borrowings under the facility are based on either an “Overnight Rate,” “Sterling Overnight Rate,” “LIBOR” or a “Base Rate” (each as set forth in the Credit Agreement), as chosen by the applicable Borrower each time it wishes to borrow funds. The “Applicable Rate” (as set forth in the Credit Agreement) equals either (i) the Overnight Rate, Sterling Overnight Rate or LIBOR plus a number of basis points (ranging from 1.25% to 2.00%) or (ii) the Base Rate plus a number of basis points (ranging from 0.25% to 1.00%), in each case depending on the Company's consolidated leverage ratio (which is the ratio of consolidated funded indebtedness to consolidated EBITDA, as defined in the Credit Agreement). There are customary fees associated with the facility including, but not limited to, an unused commitment fee at the rate of 0.15% to 0.225% on the daily amount of the Bank's unused commitment.

The Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative covenants and certain restrictive covenants which limit the Company with respect to, among other things, creating liens on its assets, incurring indebtedness, making acquisitions and other investments, and disposing of assets other than in the ordinary course of business. The Credit Agreement also contains financial covenants which require the Company not to exceed a maximum consolidated leverage ratio (consolidated funded indebtedness to consolidated EBITDA) of 2.5 to 1.0 and to maintain a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.2 to 1.0. The preceding financial covenant terms are as defined in the Credit Agreement. The Company was in compliance with all covenants under the Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2012.

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had outstanding borrowings of $2.8 million, letters of credit outstanding of $3.1 million and $69.1 million available to borrow under the Credit Agreement. Interest was payable at the rate of 1.46% per annum for outstanding borrowings as of December 31, 2012.

The Company's credit agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. expired on November 30, 2012. Upon expiration, the Company entered into a letter agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. to keep in effect an existing standby letter of credit that expires July 1, 2013. The Company provided cash in the amount of $0.4 million to fully collateralize the standby letter of credit, which restricted cash is recorded to "Prepaid expenses and other current assets" in the consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2011, there were no outstanding borrowings under the credit agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.