Retailers Are Cutting Jobs Instead of Hiring Help Ahead of the Holidays

The holiday season is usually a reason for stores to staff up to handle the surge of shoppers. But Friday’s jobs report showed a concerning trend: Retailers are shedding workers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the retail sector lost 30,000 jobs in November. That figure is even worse if you don’t count the 10,000 jobs added in November by car and auto parts dealerships, which are included in the sector’s count. General merchandise stores logged 32,000 job losses, electronics and appliance stores saw 4,000 job losses, and home furnishings stores had 3,000 job losses.