U.S. department store Macy's has announced plans to hire more than 31,500 full- and part-time employees across its stores and distribution centers to gear up for the bustling holiday season.
"We are excited to add more than 31,500 seasonal positions to help us welcome and serve our customers during the holidays. Whether they are looking for extra income for the season or the start of a new career in retail, we offer an unmatched culture, competitive pay and fulfilling career opportunities," Macy's, Inc. chief human resources and corporate affairs officer Danielle Kirgan said.
The seasonal hirings to prepare for the holiday season rush will take place at Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Bluemercury stores, as well as its distribution centers. The company has also planned four nationwide in-person holiday hiring events on Sept. 26, Oct. 24, Nov. 21 and Dec. 4 at all stores and supply chain locations.
Macy's said it is providing "several convenient hiring experiences for candidates, including an online application process that takes as little as five minutes, with most job offers made within 48 hours."
While seasonal positions are open at all Macy's stores and distribution center locations in the country, more hiring possibilities are available in Chicago, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, and Minneapolis, among others.
However, the number of jobs announced by Macy's this year is lower than in the previous two years, Reuters reported. Last year, the company had announced recruiting 38,000 employees, and in 2022, it called for 41,000 workers.
This holiday season, the U.S. retailers are expected to lower their rate of recruitment due to a softer labor market and cautious consumer spending, according to a recent report released by Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Based on the analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' job data from the non-season, the report stated that retailers were expected to add 520,000 new jobs in the last quarter of 2024, compared to 564,200 jobs added during the same period last year.
The forecast for recruitment this holiday season is the lowest since 2022, when retailers added 509,300 seasonal jobs and the second-lowest since 2009, when the number was 495,800.
Meanwhile, parcel delivery firm UPS announced plans to hire 125,000 workers for the holiday season. "The year-over-year increase in our seasonal hiring allows us to be even more confident that we will meet anticipated customer needs," the company stated.
Generally, holiday season sales account for half of the annual revenue for U.S. retailers. However, this year, holiday sales are expected to be slower compared to the past six years, as shoppers are likely to spend less due to the persistent inflation.
