Retail Adds 15K Jobs in January

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Washington, D.C.) reported a rise in retail jobs in its January report, totaling an addition of 15,400 workers to the retail sector, the most added in at least a year.

Within the retail sector, online retailers (without stores) added 3500 jobs; department stores added 300, an improvement over last year; and building supply and home goods brands added the additional workers. Even with the gains, there were reported job cuts: Sporting goods cut 3600 jobs; general merchandise stores cut 6200 jobs and health and personal care stores cut 2900 jobs, reports Women’s Wear Daily.

The cuts nearly make up for the 26,000 retail jobs cut in December, but the latest report reveals that weaknesses in the sector remain. The National Retail Federation (Washington, D.C.) notes that the report “does not provide an accurate picture of the industry,” since it does not include corporate-level jobs or those at distribution centers or customer support positions.