Holiday hiring slows as tariffs and economy create uncertainty

Key takeaways

Retailers, including American Christmas LLC, delay or reduce seasonal hiring due to tariffs and economic uncertainty.

Overall holiday hiring expected under 500,000, the smallest gain in 16 years.

Companies increasingly use AI and flexible staffing, hiring closer to peak demand.

Uncertainty from tariffs, slow job growth, and the government shutdown impacts holiday spending forecasts.

Uncertainty over the economy and tariffs is forcing retailers to pull back or delay plans to hire seasonal workers who pack orders at distribution centers, serve shoppers at stores and build holiday displays during the most important selling season of the year.

American Christmas LLC, which creates elaborate holiday installations for commercial properties such as New York’s Rockefeller