Kronos Retail Labor Index: Fewer people seeking retail jobs in June

Chelmsford, Mass. -- The Kronos Retail Labor Index edged up to 4.2% in June from a reading of 4.1% in May. The June reading reflected sharp declines in both applications and hiring. (The index is defined as the ratio of hires to applications within a given month, expressed as a percentage. A level of 3.0% means that for every 100 applications received, three hires occurred.) The retailers representing 18,362 distributed locations across the U.S. that make up the Kronos data sample made 33,473 hires (seasonally adjusted) in June 2012, the lowest reading since October 2011. While the June reading