Uncertainty over the economy and tariffs forces many retailers to be cautious on holiday hiring
October 13, 2025
Rising tariff costs and other economic factors are forcing retailers to pull back or even delay their plans to hire seasonal workers. These temp workers typically pack orders at distribution centers, serve shoppers at stores and build holiday displays during the most important selling season of the year. A job placement firm forecasts that hiring for the last three months of the year will likely fall to its lowest level since the 2009 recession, or fewer than 500,000 positions. That’s fewer than last year’s 543,000 temp jobs. The average seasonal gain since 2005 has been 653,363 workers.