Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Nature of Operations	Nature of Operations. Robert Half International Inc. (the “Company”) provides specialized staffing and risk consulting services through such divisions as Accountemps^®, Robert Half^® Finance & Accounting, OfficeTeam^®, Robert Half^® Technology, Robert Half^® Management Resources, Robert Half^® Legal, The Creative Group^®, and Protiviti^®. The Company, through its Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting, and Robert Half Management Resources divisions, is a specialized provider of temporary, full-time, and senior-level project professionals in the fields of accounting and finance. OfficeTeam specializes in highly skilled temporary administrative support professionals. Robert Half Technology provides project and full-time technology professionals. Robert Half Legal provides temporary, project, and full-time staffing of lawyers, paralegals and legal support personnel. The Creative Group provides interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals. Protiviti is a global consulting firm that helps companies solve problems in finance, technology, operations, governance, risk and internal audit, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Revenues are predominantly derived from specialized staffing services. The Company operates in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The Company is a Delaware corporation.
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation. The unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (“Financial Statements”) of the Company are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The comparative year-end condensed consolidated statement of financial position data presented was derived from audited financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair statement of the financial position and results of operations for the periods presented have been included. These Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2014, included in its annual report on Form 10-K. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of, nor comparable to, the results of operations for a full year.
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation. The Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly-owned. All intercompany balances have been eliminated.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. As of March 31, 2015, such estimates included allowances for uncollectible accounts receivable, workers’ compensation losses, and income and other taxes. Management estimates are also utilized in the Company’s goodwill impairment assessment and in the valuation of stock grants subject to market conditions.
Advertising Costs	Advertising Costs. The Company expenses all advertising costs as incurred.
Internal-use Software	Internal-use Software. The Company capitalizes direct costs incurred in the development of internal-use software. Amounts capitalized are reported as a component of computer software within property and equipment.
New Accounting Pronouncements	Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity. In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued authoritative guidance in regards to the criteria for reporting discontinued operations while also enhancing disclosures in this area. Under the new guidance, only disposals representing a strategic shift in operations should be presented as discontinued operations. In addition, the new guidance requires expanded disclosures about discontinued operations that will provide financial statement users with more information about the assets, liabilities, income, and expenses of discontinued operations. The amendments in the authoritative guidance are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods. The adoption of this guidance in the first quarter of 2015 did not have an impact on the Company's Financial Statements. Revenue from Contracts with Customers. In May 2014, the FASB issued authoritative guidance that provides companies with a single model for use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific revenue guidance. The new guidance requires a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. It also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. In April 2015, the FASB proposed deferring the effective date by one year. If approved, the new guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is not permitted. The guidance permits companies to either apply the requirements retrospectively to all prior periods presented, or apply the requirements in the year of adoption, through a cumulative adjustment. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption of this guidance on its Financial Statements. Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement. In April 2015, the FASB issued authoritative guidance designed to assist customers in their determination of whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for the arrangement as a service contract. The guidance will not change GAAP for a customer’s accounting for service contracts. This guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption of this guidance on its Financial Statements.
Commitments and Contingencies	The Company is involved in a number of other lawsuits arising in the ordinary course of business. While management does not expect any of these other matters to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or cash flows, litigation is subject to certain inherent uncertainties. Legal costs associated with the resolution of claims, lawsuits and other contingencies are expensed as incurred.
Treasury Stock Policy	The repurchased shares are held in treasury and are presented as if constructively retired. Treasury stock is accounted for using the cost method. Repurchase activity for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, is presented in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity. Repurchases of shares and issuances of cash dividends are applied first to the extent of retained earnings and any remaining amounts are applied to capital surplus.