Wal-Mart Hiring 60,000 For The Holidays

Wal-Mart said it would hire 60,000 seasonal workers to accommodate increased shopping at its U.S. stores. The part-time workers represent about a 10% jump in hiring versus a year ago.

“The holidays are a special time but it can also be a very busy time for many families. This year, Walmart is pulling out all the stops to make shopping even easier and more convenient for our customers across the country,” said Gisel Ruiz, Chief Operating Officer, Walmart U.S.

She also said that current employees would be given preference for work hours over new, temporary help.

“We know this is the busiest time of year for our stores and we are going to make sure we are delivering for our associates and customers. First, current associates who are interested in working additional hours this season will have priority access in their store. Second, we plan to hire 60,000 seasonal associates, nearly 10 percent more than we hired last year,” Ruiz said.

Bentonville-based Wal-Mart’s overall comp sales at U.S. stores were flat in its latest earnings report. The retail giant also lowered its earnings guidance for the remainder of the year. Wal-Mart said the revision was due to incremental investments in e-commerce and higher U.S. health-care costs than previously anticipated.

During the holiday shopping season and particularly on major shopping days, such as Black Friday, Wal-Mart stores can be chaotic with customers seeking bargain deals.

“We are committed to making sure our customers can find the products they want for Christmas at low prices and can get through the checkout lanes quickly. To accomplish this we will have more registers than ever open during peak shopping hours between Black Friday and Christmas,” Ruiz said.