New Retail Jobs Equal 12 Percent of U.S. Job Growth

The National Retail Federation (Washington, D.C.) announced that retail industry employment in November increased by 18,600 jobs, which accounts for 12 percent of the increase in jobs reported by the Labor Department – a total of 155,000 jobs. This retail job growth number does not include gas stations, restaurants or auto dealers.

NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said in a press statement: “It’s significant that retail accounts for roughly one out of eight of the jobs created across the economy in November, which shows the importance of retail to job creation … and general merchandise – which includes department stores – accounted for a quarter of the nation’s job gains.”

While there were losses of 10,900 employees from electronics and appliance stores, and 11,100 jobs at sporting goods and hobby stores, there was a growth of 39,300 at general merchandise stores and 9,800 at miscellaneous stores, which includes food and beverage, as well as online.

The Labor Department says overall unemployment remained at 3.7 percent.