Macy’s Inc. (NYSE: M) said Monday that the company plans to hire about 85,000 seasonal employees this year at its Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s stores, call centers, distribution centers and online fulfillment centers. Last year Macy’s hired 86,000 seasonal employees, more than any other retailer in our survey of retail hiring for the 2014 holiday season.

Even though it is modestly below last year’s level, unless 2014’s number two-ranked retailer, Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) raising its hiring by more than 20%, Macy’s will be number one again this year. Target hired 70,000 seasonal employees in 2014, while Kohl’s Corp. (NYSE: KSS) hired about 67,000 and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) hired about 60,000.

According to the Macy’s press release, about 12,000 of the seasonal positions will be in the company’s direct-to-consumer fulfillment facilities. Another 1,600 will work with customers in the telephone, email, and online chat service centers in Ohio, Florida, Arizona, and Missouri. More than 1,000 people well be hired around the country to help out with the company’s 88th annual Thanksgiving Day parade.

Macy’s CEO Terry J. Lundgren said:

We first offer our current associates the opportunity to work extra hours over the holidays, then supplement our ongoing workforce with seasonal hires. This enhanced staffing allows us to provide additional help to customers, whether they are shopping in stores or online. … [S]easonal positions represent much-needed jobs for America, and they fill an important niche in the employment spectrum. Especially at the holidays, we employ students working during break to help pay tuition, retirees seeking to remain active and individuals from many walks of life wanting to supplement their income.

The seven top hiring retailers last year added 400,000 seasonal jobs. All told, Challenger, Gray & Christmas expects retailers to add a total of 755,000 seasonal jobs this year. The total is essentially flat with 2014 hiring.

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