Bellingham expected to add 500 jobs for holiday season

Bellingham retailers are expected to hire 508 seasonal workers for the holiday shopping season.

That’s the prediction from the Washington State Employment Security Department, which released a report forecasting the holiday hires. It would be down from the previous year, when 614 people were hired, according to the news release.

Across the state, it’s predicted retailers will hire more than 15,000 workers for November and December, about 300 more people than last year.

The agency’s labor economists expect most of the seasonal hiring will be in general merchandise stores, followed by clothing stores.

“Sales growth, particularly during the holiday season, has remained steady over recent years,” said Paul Turek, an economist for the state in a news release. “An improving jobs picture has supported consumer spending and should lead to a positive retail season in Washington.”

This story was originally published October 2, 2015 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Bellingham expected to add 500 jobs for holiday season."