Western Staff Ends Talks to Sell Medical Unit

Western Staff Services Inc., a temporary-personnel provider, said it terminated negotiations to sell Western Medical Services, its home health-care division, because it was unable to agree on terms with the unidentified buyer. Western Staff Services declined to release information on the potential value of the sale of the 65-office unit, which had revenue of $56 million last year. The company, which has more than 200,000 temporary employees and had revenue of about $600 million in fiscal 1997, may seek a new buyer for Western Medical, Chief Financial Officer Paul A. Norberg said. Western Staff Services had sought to sell its home health-care unit so it could refocus on its staffing business. Western Staff, based in Walnut Creek, Calif., rose 25 cents to close at $12.13 on Nasdaq.