Retailers are hiring hundreds of thousands of seasonal workers for the 2025 holidays. Even so, hiring could still fall short of previous years’ numbers.
Aside from Amazon, which announced an impressive target of 250,000 seasonal jobs Monday, hiring announcements have generally been quieter than they were last year.
Target is an example. In September 2024, the retailer advertised that it was hiring 100,000 seasonal employees for its stores and supply centers. But for this holiday season, Target has made no such announcement, instead sharing in a news release that it’s “heading into the holidays with a strong, experienced team” while emphasizing its ability to offer more hours to existing workers (and then hire as heeded).
Similarly, UPS announced a “holiday hiring spree” in late September 2024 with a goal of 125,000 seasonal hires. This year, there’s been no word from the shipping giant.
Walmart has been quiet, as well, but the lack of a holiday hiring announcement from the big-box retailer comes as less of a surprise. This is the third year in a row that Walmart has not had a publicly promoted holiday hiring initiative. (In 2021, in contrast, Walmart announced it was hiring 150,000 people.)
These developments, or lack thereof, come as the labor market is under close scrutiny. Before the government shutdown interrupted the reporting of federal jobs data, the unemployment rate had inched its way up to 4.3% in August, the highest level in nearly four years.
Seasonal hiring normally supports the job market this time of year, according to an Oct. 2 report from outplacement company Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Take some of that hiring away, and people could have a harder time making ends meet during the notoriously expensive holiday season.
“Now is when we typically see retailers bulk up for the holidays, but so far, plans have been slow to come, reflecting caution,” Andy Challenger, senior vice president and labor expert for the firm, said in the report. “With lower consumer confidence and tariff pressures ahead, we predict the hiring season will be muted.”
Nancy Vanden Houten, lead economist at Oxford Economics, tells Money that it’s too early to declare holiday hiring a bust this season. But she says weaker numbers are possible, in part because of larger consumption trends.
Business will “be driven by upper-income households and by online shopping,” she writes in an email. “That would be consistent with strong hiring by Amazon but a more cautious approach by brick and mortar retailers.”
With this in mind, here are some of the major name-brand companies currently staffing up for the holidays:
Amazon
On Monday, Amazon announced a plan to hire 250,000 people — the same number as last year. The company said seasonal employees will earn $19 per hour or more on average, which is $1 more than the starting wage of $18 per hour touted a year ago.
Some of those 250,000 roles are regular full-time or part-time positions. Workers in permanent roles at Amazon make an average wage of $23 per hour, according to the announcement. The company said it’s specifically hiring for fulfillment and transportation duties at locations nationwide.
Bath & Body Works
Bath & Body Works is hiring 30,000 workers for the holiday season, according to a September news release. The positions include part-time associate roles in stores and full-time positions in distribution centers.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Dick’s is holding a “signing day” hiring event on Wednesday as the company aims to bring on about 14,000 seasonal employees, according to a release. Candidates should apply online and plan to interview at their nearest store on the day of the event.
Of those jobs, about 9,100 are with the sporting goods chain and about 4,750 are with other brands in the portfolio (like Foot Locker and Champs).
Michaels
The craft store, which held hiring events last month, said it is adding 10,000 seasonal employees this year. these peak months. It’s also offering current workers extra hours, according to a news release highlighting that more than half of the company’s seasonal workers stayed on after the 2024 holiday season.
Macy’s
In September, Macy’s, Inc. announced that Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury were hiring seasonal full- and part-time workers in select markets. In-person hiring events are coming up on Thursday and Nov. 20 at specific locations.
The company did not share a hiring target in its announcement and did not return Money’s request for comment.
Target
Target appears to be hiring less aggressively this year. In a release, the retailer confirmed that it will bring on seasonal hires who will earn at least $15 per hour, but it didn’t specify how many. That compares to last year’s big announcement of 100,000 seasonal positions.
Target’s release mentioned that the company will use its “On-Demand” team of workers with flexible schedules during the busy season.
Catalyst Brands
The parent company of Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand, Nautica and JCPenney is hiring for 13,000 seasonal positions. These are primarily sales and cashier jobs, according to an Oct. 7 news release. Hiring events are scheduled for this weekend and Nov. 7 to Nov. 9.
Kohl’s
In a news release, Kohl’s confirmed that it is hiring seasonal associates for its stores and distribution centers. The company did not share specifically how many jobs are available. In Milwaukee, a local media outlet reported that the number is over 300 for that area.
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