Dim Outlook for Holiday Jobs

The New York Times is reporting that as the economy sputters, prospects are dimming for unemployed workers who were banking on a seasonal retail job to carry them through the holidays.

After a disappointing back-to-school season, many retailers say they intend to barely increase their seasonal jobs from last year, when hiring was among the lowest in the 14 years tracked by the National Retail Federation.

Some big national chains – like Wal-Mart and Best Buy – say they will not hire any more workers than last year. And even some of the more bullish retailers say the growth will not be significant.

The recruiting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, forecasts that retailers will add up to 600,000 jobs in October, November and December, compared with a net gain of 501,400 holiday jobs over the same three months in 2009.

“This is slow digging out of a deep recession,” said John A. Challenger, the firm’s chief executive.

Temporary hiring is often a way for employers to test the waters before committing to permanent hiring.

Photo by Associated Press.

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