Firms roll out hiring plans

Numerous retailers and delivery companies are planning to hire seasonal employees in San Antonio in preparation for a surge of online orders, which have skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic.

Amazon is looking to hire over more than seasonal workers in San Antonio to help with packing, sorting and other tasks, spokesman Daniel Martin said. The jobs include fulltime and part-time positions and pay a minimum of $15 an hour.

The e-commerce giant said this week it wants to hire 100,000 seasonal employees across the country, its latest spree. The company has been aggressively hiring workers since the start of the pandemic to keep up with demand.

The seasonal jobs “offer opportunities for pay incentives, benefits and a path to a longer-term career, or can simply provide extra income and flexibility during the holiday season,” Amazon said in an announcement.

Target also is hiring for the holidays. The retailer said it is planning to double the number of employees handling drive-up and pickup orders and to hire more workers for its distribution centers.

Target expects hiring this year to be in line with 2019, when it sought to bring on about 130,000 seasonal employees. Pay starts at $15 an hour.

A spokesperson declined to provide exact figures for San Antonio, but said each store in the area is hiring. More than a dozen seasonal positions in the region were listed on its website Friday morning.

UPS still is looking for about 500 seasonal workers, spokesman Dan McMackin said.

Jobs include drivers, driver helpers, personal

“Health and financial anxieties are reshaping how shoppers approach the season — many are planning to trim in

four key areas: spending, in-store purchases, travel and experiences, and time spent shopping.

Deloitte survey

vehicle drivers and package handlers, with wages ranging from $14.50 to $21 per hour.

Home Depot is planning to hire more than 85 employees locally. That includes some seasonal positions, and jobs involve customer service and helping with freight, social-distancing measures and filling online and curbside orders.

The pandemic is disrupting retail, like many other industries, and retailers are facing an unpredictable holiday season. Retailers are rolling out deals early to jump-start sales and limit throngs and supply chain problems.

Holiday spending this year is expected to drop about 7 percent from 2019 levels, with shoppers shelling out an average of $1,387 per household, a Deloitte survey indicates.

“Health and financial anxieties are reshaping how shoppers approach the season — many are planning to trim in four key areas: spending, in-store purchases, travel and experiences, and time spent shopping,” noted the firm, which surveyed just over 4,000 people.

Seasonal job postings were down about 11 percent by Sept. 22 compared with last year, job listing website Indeed says.

Meanwhile, the share of positions involving loading and stocking has more than tripled.