Retail industry employment increased by 12,900 jobs in November from October, according to the National Retail Federation.
The figure excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants, NRF noted. The economy added 228,000 jobs overall in the month, according to United States Department of Labor numbers.
The November came after a monthly loss of 10,300 jobs in October, although that figure came after a monthly increase of 10,600 jobs in September. A three-month moving average showed an increase of 4,400 jobs through November.
Annual retailer hiring of temporary holiday workers is on track to reach the high end of NRF’s forecast of between 500,000 and 550,000 positions. Employment increased in most retail sectors during November but slipped in electronics and appliances stores, clothing and clothing accessories stores, and non-store, which includes online.
“This was one of the strongest gains we’ve seen all year,” said Jack Kleinhenz, NRF chief economist. “You expect employment to be up during the holiday season and retailers are expecting strong holiday sales with related job growth, but overall growth in the economy has to be recognized here as well. We’re also seeing new jobs in other sectors of the economy, particularly industrial, and that means more demand for retail goods and a need for more retail workers.”
Kleinhenz added that retail job numbers reported by the Labor Department do not provide a comprehensive picture of the industry because they count only employees who work in stores while excluding retail workers in other parts of the business such as corporate headquarters, distribution centers, call centers and innovation labs.