J.C. Penney is planning to hire 40,000 people for the holiday shopping season. That's about the same as last year. Hiring starts in October, Penney said, with a big push on an in-store national hiring day Oct. 17. Staff will be added through the season, said Plano-based Penney.
Since Hurricane Harvey, Penney started hiring an extra 2,500 people in the Houston area, saying it anticipated families whose homes were flooded will need the extra job and the discount to replace household items. Penney's employee discount is up to 25 percent.
Seven Penney stores in Puerto Rico closed on Sept. 18 so employees could prepare for Hurricane Maria. Those stores are still closed after severe damage left the island without power.
"Our teams are currently in the process of contacting all associates to ensure their safety, but the island is experiencing power and [phone] signal issues, making outreach a bit more challenging," said Penney spokesman Joey Thomas.
Stores in Puerto Rico will remain closed until power is restored, buildings are inspected and employees can safely travel to work, Thomas said, "but we're not yet able to determine when that may happen."
