STAFF recruitment group Adecco warned that a probe into potential accounting problems would delay publication of its accounts.

Adecco said its audit committee had appointed a lawyer to investigate "material weaknesses in internal controls" that the group had found in the US section of its Adecco Staffing division.

The investigation would also aim to resolve "possible accounting, control and compliance issues" in the group's operations in certain countries, it said.

The group employs 28,000 people at 5,800 offices in 68 countries, and says it connects 650,000 jobseekers and temporary staff with businesses every day.