(Reuters) -U.S. companies plan to hire thousands to boost staffing in their warehouses and distribution centers as they prepare for the crucial holiday shopping season.

Hiring of seasonal workers by U.S. retailers is set to drop to levels last seen in 2008, according to a report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, while holiday sales are estimated to grow at their slowest pace in five years.

Here is a list of companies that have announced hiring plans for this holiday season:

Retailers Hiring plans – Hiring plans –

2023 2022

JCPenney nearly 10,000 nearly 22,000

Dick’s 9,000

Sporting 8,600

Goods

United 100,000 100,000

Parcel

Service

Amazon.com 150,000

250,000

Target 100,000

100,000

Macy’s 41,000

38,000

Bath & Body 32,500 (US and N/A

Works Canada)

1-800-Flowe 8,000 8,000

rs.com

Kroger “Seeking to hire “Seeking to

thousands of hire thousands

associates” of associates”

(Reporting by Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)

---