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Alabama toy shop owners prepare for the holiday rush

Nov 22, 2024
Sisters Stevi Bell and Amanda Calhoun of Fantasy Island Toys, talk about their plans for the busiest shopping season of the year.
"It's the best job that I've ever had, and I do say that, like, multiple times a day," says Stevi Bell, left, about co-owning a toy store with her sister Amanda Calhoun.
Courtesy Stevi Bell

Holiday season hiring slows down

Dec 8, 2023
Retail hiring for the holiday shopping period is roughly flat, while transportation and warehousing are down from last year.
Well 80 Brewhouse in Olympia, Washington. Owner Chris Knudson says business is down slightly from last year and it's not as hard to find workers to cover shifts when the restaurant's busy.
Mitchell Hartman/Marketplace

Amazon desperately seeks seasonal workers while other retailers hold back

Sep 20, 2023
That could mean that holiday hiring will be slower this season, says Andy Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Retailers are still figuring out how to staff warehouses and stores as consumers switch between shopping in person and online and using curbside pickup, says analyst Jessica Ramírez.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

As summer approaches, labor shortages make seasonal hiring tough

Apr 14, 2023
A tight labor market, plus caps on worker visas, may mean consumers will notice fewer lifeguards at pools and slower service at restaurants.
Public pools, restaurants and resorts are expected to struggle with hiring this summer again.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Companies plan to hire fewer seasonal workers this year

Sep 22, 2022
Retailers are worried that inflation and fear of a potential recession will impact holiday spending.
Walmart said it plans to hire 40,000 seasonal workers for the holidays this year. It brought on 150,000 in 2021.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

This summer on Cape Cod, longer lines and help wanted signs

Jul 30, 2021
Almost every restaurant and business is understaffed this summer. At the same time, there are more tourists on the Cape than ever.
At Mac’s on the Pier in Wellfleet, waiting in line has always been part of the experience. But according to the owner, waits have peaked from an hour and a half to five hours this summer.
Samantha Fields

U.S. releases more temporary visas to meet seasonal worker demand

May 25, 2021
Employers can now apply for 22,000 additional H-2B visas. Businesses who hire seasonal workers say they're more crucial than ever.
The hospitality sector, from dining to amusement parks, is a key draw for seasonal workers.
Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Retail workers balance financial need with pandemic risk

Nov 17, 2020
A recent survey from Korn Ferry found that 47% of retailers are having a hard time finding seasonal workers this year.
Al Bello/Getty Images

Could fruit-picking robots solve the labor shortage on British farms?

Dec 10, 2019
Brexit has led to a dearth of seasonal migrant workers in the United Kingdom. Robo pickers could plug the gap.
Rubion, a strawberry-picking robot from Belgium.
Octinion

It's September and holiday workers are already in high demand

Sep 10, 2019
Big retailers are out with plans to staff up ahead of the holidays. Perks include discounts, holiday pay, and in some cases, higher wages.
A clerk rings up sales for a customer at a Target store in Chicago, Illinois, during the holiday shopping season.
Scott Olson/Getty Images