Summary
Many retailers are cautious about hiring temporary workers for the holiday season due to economic uncertainty and high tariffs. These businesses are hiring fewer seasonal workers compared to previous years and waiting longer to start recruitment. Companies like Amazon plan to maintain last year's hiring levels, but overall, fewer temporary jobs are expected this year.
Key Facts
- Retailers are delaying or reducing seasonal hiring because of economic uncertainty and tariffs.
- American Christmas LLC plans to hire 220 temporary workers, down from 300 last year, to handle tariff costs.
- Amazon will hire 250,000 workers for the shopping season, the same number as the previous year.
- Challenger, Gray & Christmas predicts holiday hiring will drop to under 500,000 positions, the lowest in 16 years.
- Radial plans to hire 6,500 workers, fewer than last year's 7,000.
- Bath & Body Works is hiring 32,000 workers, slightly less than last year.
- Some companies are using AI bots to replace certain jobs, especially in call centers.
- The U.S. job market has slowed, adding only 22,000 jobs in August, partly due to trade wars.
