U.S. retailers added 521,800 workers during the first two months of the 2016 holiday season, plunging 14% from year-ago totals, according to an analysis of federal employment data conducted by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Retail employment grew by 371,500 jobs in November, down 9.3% from last year’s increase of 409,500, based on the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s the lowest November employment increase since 2010, Challenger said.
