Lawrence Katz

Most major American retailers plan to hire the same number of temporary holiday workers as last year, according to a survey by a top industry consultant, underscoring that store chains continue to view the coming season with caution. Still, the annual Hay Group survey found that more than one-fifth of respondents expected to hire more seasonal help than in 2009, a sign that store chains aren't expecting shoppers to hibernate this winter, even if they fail to fully resume free-spending ways.