Note 16 - Contingencies	12 Months Ended
Dec. 29, 2013
Disclosure Text Block Supplement [Abstract]
Legal Matters and Contingencies [Text Block]	16. Contingencies During the first quarter of 2013, the Company agreed to a settlement related to its unclaimed property examination by Delaware, its state of incorporation, for $4.5 million. Types of property under exam included payroll and accounts payable checks and accounts receivable credits, covering all reporting years through and including 2012. Accordingly, the Company recorded an additional reserve of $3.0 million in the first quarter of 2013. The Company paid this settlement during the second quarter of 2013. During the fourth quarter of 2013, a Louisiana jury rendered an award of $4.4 million, pursuant to litigation brought by Robert and Margaret Ward against the Jefferson Parish School Board and Kelly Services. Under the verdict, Kelly’s share of the liability consists of $2.7 million plus a portion of pre-and-post-judgment interest. Kelly believes it is appropriately insured for this verdict. Kelly believes that the verdict is not supported by the facts of the case and is currently evaluating appeals strategies with its insurers. In 2012, the Company received final court approval of the settlement of a single class action, Fuller v. Kelly Services, Inc. and Kelly Home Care Services, Inc., in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles, which involved a claim for monetary damages by current and former temporary employees in the State of California. The claims were related to alleged misclassification of personal attendants as exempt and not entitled to overtime compensation under state law and alleged technical violations of a state law governing the content of employee pay stubs. During 2011, a $1.2 million after tax charge relating to the settlement was recognized in discontinued operations. During the first quarter of 2012, we reduced our estimate of the costs to settle the litigation by $0.4 million after tax, which we recorded in discontinued operations. The Company is continuously engaged in litigation arising in the ordinary course of its business, typically matters alleging employment discrimination, alleging wage and hour violations or enforcing the restrictive covenants in the Company’s employment agreements. While there is no expectation that any of these matters will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or cash flows, litigation is always subject to inherent uncertainty and the Company is not able to reasonably predict if any matter will be resolved in a manner that is materially adverse to the Company. At year-end 2013 and 2012, the gross accrual for litigation costs amounted to $6.9 million and $3.1 million, respectively, and related insurance recoveries totaled $3.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively.

Note 16 - Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 29, 2013

Disclosure Text Block Supplement [Abstract]

Legal Matters and Contingencies [Text Block]

16. Contingencies

During the first quarter of 2013, the Company agreed to a settlement related to its unclaimed property examination by Delaware, its state of incorporation, for $4.5 million. Types of property under exam included payroll and accounts payable checks and accounts receivable credits, covering all reporting years through and including 2012. Accordingly, the Company recorded an additional reserve of $3.0 million in the first quarter of 2013. The Company paid this settlement during the second quarter of 2013.

During the fourth quarter of 2013, a Louisiana jury rendered an award of $4.4 million, pursuant to litigation brought by Robert and Margaret Ward against the Jefferson Parish School Board and Kelly Services. Under the verdict, Kelly’s share of the liability consists of $2.7 million plus a portion of pre-and-post-judgment interest. Kelly believes it is appropriately insured for this verdict. Kelly believes that the verdict is not supported by the facts of the case and is currently evaluating appeals strategies with its insurers.

In 2012, the Company received final court approval of the settlement of a single class action, Fuller v. Kelly Services, Inc. and Kelly Home Care Services, Inc., in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles, which involved a claim for monetary damages by current and former temporary employees in the State of California. The claims were related to alleged misclassification of personal attendants as exempt and not entitled to overtime compensation under state law and alleged technical violations of a state law governing the content of employee pay stubs. During 2011, a $1.2 million after tax charge relating to the settlement was recognized in discontinued operations. During the first quarter of 2012, we reduced our estimate of the costs to settle the litigation by $0.4 million after tax, which we recorded in discontinued operations.

The Company is continuously engaged in litigation arising in the ordinary course of its business, typically matters alleging employment discrimination, alleging wage and hour violations or enforcing the restrictive covenants in the Company’s employment agreements. While there is no expectation that any of these matters will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or cash flows, litigation is always subject to inherent uncertainty and the Company is not able to reasonably predict if any matter will be resolved in a manner that is materially adverse to the Company. At year-end 2013 and 2012, the gross accrual for litigation costs amounted to $6.9 million and $3.1 million, respectively, and related insurance recoveries totaled $3.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively.