Holiday hiring seen as flat to slightly lower

New York City -- Holiday retail hiring is expected to be flat or even slightly lower compared with last year, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas’ annual holiday hiring forecast. The outplacement consulting firm said 627,000 seasonal retail jobs were created from October through December in 2010. The total was up 27% from 2009, and nearly double the 26-year low that occurred in 2008. "It would be surprising if holiday hiring exceeded last year's level," stated John Challenger, chief executive, Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Challenger said that holiday employment gains would most definitely not reach pre-recession levels, which averaged