OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — State officials say they expect holiday-season hiring to be sluggish in Washington this year.
Economists with the Employment Security Department are projecting that retailers will add 13,000 jobs through December — less than the 14,700 they added last year. Last year’s total was 17 percent higher than the agency’s prediction.
This year, big box stores are expected to lead the way by adding 7,000 jobs. But clothing and clothing-accessory stores are expected to hire fewer than 3,300, down more than 1,000 from last year.
Employment Security Commissioner Paul Trause says seasonal jobs are important in part because they can be a gateway for the unemployed to get back into the work force.
