JCPenney will hire 550 more workers in metro Atlanta for the coming holiday season, the company said on Thursday.
The Plano, Texas-based company said it will add 900 seasonal positions across Georgia, part of announced plans to add 39,000 employees nationally.
The 116-year-old company, like many retailers has struggled to adapt in a time of dramatic transition in technology and customer behavior. But Penney still has revenues of $12.5 billion and 98,000 employees.
And despite years of cuts and turmoil, retailers seem optimistic about the next few months. Consumers seem confident about the economy, the stock market is up and home values are rising.
With Thursday’s announcement, Penney joined a number of other retailers in stocking up on employees for the coming holiday season.
Among the large-scale hiring announced are tens of thousands of seasonal workers at Kohls, Walmart, Target, Macy's and Sandy Springs-based UPS.
A question raised by the hiring and other job fairs is whether the stores can find the workers they want – at the price they want to pay – with the unemployment rate at its lowest point in 17 years.
JCPenney has about 10 stores in metro Atlanta, including a furniture outlet in Forest Park.
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