OLYMPIA – Washington retailers will hire more than 12,700 seasonal workers throughout the holiday season, according to economists with the state’s Employment Security Department.

Last year, employers hired 10,542 additional workers during the 4th quarter of 2015.

“Seasonal retail hiring across the state is expected to rebound this year after declining the past two years,” said Paul Turek, an economist with the department. “Healthier wage growth amidst an improving employment situation should help raise holiday sales to a level that boosts hiring.”

The department’s labor economists say the bulk of the seasonal hiring will be in general merchandise stores, adding 7,480 jobs, up 1,062 positions from the same period last year. Clothing and clothing accessory stores expect to hire 3,329 holiday workers, also up 804 workers from 2015.

Nationally, workplace consultant firm Challenger, Gray, and Christmas, Inc. expects seasonal gains in the retail sector to be about the same as a year ago, with some 738,800 temporary hires projected from October through December.

Holiday hiring forecast for October through December 2016 Statewide and by region

Area/County	2015 actual	2016 forecast
Washington state	10,542	12,726
King-Snohomish	6,167	5,321
Pierce	994	1,637
Spokane-Stevens-Pend Oreille	671	845
Benton-Franklin	420	467
Yakima	354	457
Whatcom	292	393
Kitsap	333	375
Thurston	149	302
Skagit	82	142
Chelan-Douglas	28	103
Cowlitz	23	73