More holiday jobs coming
Sep 19, 2012 (Menafn - Dayton Daily News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --The holiday hiring season kicked off Tuesday with one large retailer announcing plans to hire more seasonal employees this year and another saying it plans to hire fewer temporary workers than a year ago.
Kohl's Department Stores said Tuesday that it plans to hire more than 52,700 part-time employees nationwide this holiday season, up more than 10 percent from last year, to help the company accommodate an anticipated growth in e-commerce as well as in-store shoppers.
Target Corp. said Tuesday it plans to hire 80,000 to 90,000 seasonal employees for that retailer's stores and distribution centers across the U.S. That's down from about 92,000 last holiday season.
Kohl's and Target each operate 10 stores in the Dayton, northern Cincinnati and Springfield areas.
Kohl's officials said they'll hire an average of 41 associates per store at its 1,146 stores nationwide, although they also stressed that hiring levels at specific locations will vary depending on the needs of each store. That suggests Kohl's will hire up to 410 or more employees at its local stores.
Those positions will be in addition to the 1,200 seasonal warehouse positions that Wisconsin-based Kohl's plans to add at its e-commerce fulfillment center in Monroe in Butler County. The company held a hiring event last week at the distribution center, which fills Internet orders and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Kohl's officials said. The center typically employs between 850 and 1,000 people.
Target spokeswoman Erin Conroy said hiring for Target's seasonal holiday positions began in July for distribution centers and will begin in October for stores, and hiring will continue through December. Last year, about 30 percent of seasonal employees stayed on and became year-round Target employees, Conroy said. Target is based in Minneapolis.
Kohl's officials said seasonal employees work schedules vary from a few hours to more than 20 hours per week. Typical store jobs include unloading trucks, freight processing, stocking and cash register duties.
Most other retailers have not yet announced their holiday hiring plans. A Macy's department stores spokeswoman said Tuesday the company will announce its seasonal hiring projections in about two weeks.
Chief financial officers surveyed by BDO USA LLP expect a 4.5 percent increase in total 2012 sales, the accounting and consulting firm said Tuesday.
"Consumers proved resilient through back-to-school season, and that is fueling greater optimism for holiday sales results," said Doug Hart, a partner at BDO. "But retailers aren't counting their dollars just yet. Forecasts are cautious as retailers closely watch unemployment, election results and inventory levels -- any of which could throw a wrench in holiday results."
Internet market research firm eMarketer projects that online shoppers in the U.S. will spend 54.5 billion this holiday season, up 16.8 percent from last year, according to InternetRetailer.com. The eMarket report also predicted that consumers will become more comfortable researching online and then buying items in bricks-and-mortar stores.
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