As the holiday shopping season approaches, several retailers have unveiled their seasonal hiring plans.
On Tuesday, Target announced that it’s aiming to hire more than 130,000 seasonal workers to help it “deliver an exceptional holiday experience for our guests during the busiest time of the year.”
The chain said it plans to hire about 125,000 workers for in-store positions and about 8,000 for distribution and fulfillment center jobs. Target will pay workers a minimum starting wage of $13 per hour. The retailer is still poised to implement a $15 minimum hourly wage by the end of 2020.
In addition to offering competitive pay, Target plans to give seasonal employees a 10 percent discount on their purchases. The retailer also plans to invest $2 million in its holiday team member appreciation program. Under the program, two hourly workers from each store and distribution center will receive a $250 gift card and a chance to donate to local charities of their choice.
“Every team member at Target is given opportunities to grow, take care of themselves and their families, and make an impact on guests and their communities,” Melissa Kremer, Target’s chief human resources officer, said in a statement.
Those interested in working for Target can attend one of the retailer’s seasonal hiring events, which will take place this year from Oct. 11 to Oct. 13, and Nov. 2 to Nov. 3. Last year, the company hired 120,000 seasonal workers. Officials said more than 40 percent of those workers retained their position after the holidays.
Target’s holiday hiring announcement comes a day after UPS announced that it plans to hire about 100,000 seasonal workers this year. Amazon also said it’s preparing to bring on “tens of thousands” of people to fill additional roles during the peak holiday season.