Lagging economy means fewer seasonal jobs

The Virginian-Pilot: As the troubled economy has dragged down sales, many retailers have curtailed hiring for the holiday season, expecting to handle less store traffic and seeking to save the added labor expense.

In October, the retail industry added 65,900 jobs, said John Challenger, chief executive officer of the Chicago consulting firm of Challenger, Gray & Christmas. That number — based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — was down nearly 20 percent from last October and was the lowest for an October since 1991, Challenger said.

Click to continue