<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001305641-09-000001
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090506
<FILING-DATE>20090507
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090507
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>KELLY SERVICES INC
<CIK>0000055135
<ASSIGNED-SIC>7363
<IRS-NUMBER>381510762
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>999 W BIG BEAVER RD
<CITY>TROY
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>48084
<PHONE>2483624444
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>999 WEST BIG BEAVER RD
<CITY>TROY
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>48084
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Parfet Donald R
<CIK>0001305641
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-01088
<FILM-NUMBER>09804991
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O 259 EAST MICHIGAN AVENUE  STE 409
<STREET2>APJOHN GROUP LLC
<CITY>KALAMAZOO
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>49007
<PHONE>269 349 8999
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O 259 EAST MICHIGAN AVENUE  STE 409
<STREET2>APJOHN GROUP LLC
<CITY>KALAMAZOO
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>49007
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-NAME>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>Donald R Parfet
<DATE-CHANGED>20041008
</FORMER-NAME>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-05-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000055135</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>KELLY SERVICES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>kelya</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001305641</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Parfet Donald R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O 259 EAST MICHIGAN AVENUE  STE 409</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>APJOHN GROUP LLC</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>KALAMAZOO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>49007</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock, Par Value $1</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2000-05-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3944</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>11.41</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12300</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Stock granted under the terms of the Non-Employee Stock Award Plan.  This award represents a portion of the Annual Retainer paid to outside members of Kelly Services Board of Directors.  The stock was valued at the close of market on 05/06/2009 at $11.41 per share.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Donald R. Parfet</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-05-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>by James M. Polehna, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-05-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
