Even as holiday spending is expected to surpass $1 trillion, retailers are set to hire the lowest number of seasonal workers in decades.
Though a few industries have picked up the pace on hiring.
The National Retail Federation predicts that this holiday season, retailers will hire fewer than 365,000 workers — the lowest number in 15 years.
There is a lot of uncertainty about the economy right now.
Some of the temps have been coming back every year for decades.
Demand for seasonal workers is robust but relatively low unemployment figures may make it harder for employers to find people.
It’s one of those terms we hear attached to economic data all the time. But what is seasonal adjustment and how is it done?
Retail hiring for the holiday shopping period is roughly flat, while transportation and warehousing are down from last year.
That could mean that holiday hiring will be slower this season, says Andy Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
As seasonal businesses focus on inflation and new hires for the summer, the shadow of a possible recession looms in the background.
