Challenger, Gray & Christmas has released their projections for seasonal hiring for this year’s holiday season. Holiday hiring might be up a bit, but that’s only because 2008 was the worst year for seasonal jobs since 1989.
“Holiday hiring might improve slightly over last year, but only because 2008 saw the lowest seasonal employment growth in nearly 20 years. With millions of Americans out of work and many more simply cutting back on all discretionary spending, few retailers will take the risk of eating into slim profits with extra workers,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Last year, seasonal retail employment grew by 384,300 jobs from October through December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was nearly 50% fewer jobs than in 2007, when retailers added 720,800 workers during the holiday months. The 384,300 seasonal workers hired in 2008 represent the lowest holiday hiring figure since 1989, when retailers added just 380,500 workers.
Related: Holiday Jobs
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