Watch Now: Supply Chain Problems Take Another Victim: Holiday Shopping | Business and Economy

Kohl’s, which is looking to fill nearly 1,800 vacancies in the Chicago area, is also offering bonuses of $ 100 to $ 400 for employees who work during the holiday season.

The end of federal unemployment benefits earlier this month could push some people into the workforce, but it probably won’t cause an “immediate rebound,” Warner said.

People are still concerned about the delta variant and child care issues, and workers have more options than before as there are many industries that have opportunities. This could be a barrier for retailers, whose jobs may be more difficult than usual due to increased conflict with customers, especially around mask policies, or a shift to online shopping that requires store workers rush to fill orders, Warner said.

Still, Amazon said on Friday it had received more than 500,000 applications for jobs in business, technology and hourly jobs since September 1.

Hiring needs aren’t limited to retail stores and warehouses. Parcel carriers UPS, FedEx and the US Postal Service plan to hire 100,000, 90,000 and 40,000 seasonal workers, respectively, after a 2020 holiday season marked by shipping delays, with consumers doing even more of their shopping vacation than usual online.

UPS offers weekly retention bonuses in some areas, including Chicago, where it aims to hire 5,000 people before the holidays. It also emphasizes the potential to turn a seasonal job into a permanent role and has streamlined the application process to make conditional job offers in as little as 30 minutes, spokesman Dan McMackin said.