Cleveland

A lawmaker in Ohio wants stores in the state to pay triple wages for employees who work on Thanksgiving, an effort that comes as Macy's, the holiday's quintessential retailer, is allowing its workers to choose whether to work that day. Both are attempts to counter frustration among workers and their families over holiday store hours that have expanded into the holiday. State Rep. Mike Foley, a Democrat from Cleveland, said his bill would allow employees to bow out of the holiday shift without job sanctions while protecting family time from excessive consumerism.

Toys"R"Us, the world's largest specialty toy store chain, on Tuesday announced plans to hire 45,000 workers at its 877 U.S. stores and distribution centers for the 2014 holidays, more than doubling its total workforce. The jobs include sales associates, stock crew and omnichannel fulfillment teams, as well as distribution center workers and department managers. The news comes days after rival Wal-Mart announced it's hiring 60,000 seasonal workers and offering additional hours to its current employees for the holidays.

Dots LLC, the 400-store clothing chain for young women, filed for bankruptcy protection, blaming prior management, the economy and leases that cost too much. The company, founded 27 years ago outside Cleveland, has arranged to borrow $36 million to keep operating as it reorganizes under court protection and implements a new merchandising strategy, according to an emailed statement. Regional clothing chains have had a difficult time competing with bigger companies such as TJX Cos. and Hennes & Mauritz AB. Loehmann's, the New York-based discount fashion retailer, filed for bankruptcy last year and is liquidating its assets.

_ CLEVELAND - Abercrombie and Fitch is again under fire for the sizes of clothing its stores stock, and a Los Angeles filmmaker has made waves for his satiric video that seeks to “transform” the company’s brand. Greg Karber’s YouTube video called...

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