’Tis the season to be hiring.

Local retailers are hiring seasonal help to get them through what is expected to be a slightly better holiday shopping season than last year.

For Margaret Hutcheson, owner of Horsin’ Around at Pony Village Mall, this season is an opportunity to recoup losses incurred throughout the recession. She hired one part-time temporary worker, instead of the two or three she’d normally bring aboard this time of year. She’ll put in extra hours herself.

“Even if the economy does pick up, the money that was lost earlier this year, we have to make up for this holiday season,” Hutcheson said.

Statewide, retailers have hired less holiday help each year since 2006.

Last year, Oregon retail netted an increase of about 4,500 jobs between September and December, down from 8,047 jobs in 2007, and a significant drop from 2006’s gain of 10,447.

The National Retail Federation expects retail sales to decline by 1 percent this year �” but it’s an improvement over last year’s dip of 3.4 percent.

Still, it’s likely state employment figures for the holiday season won’t be much better than last year’s, said Art Ayre, employment economist with the state Employment Department.

With the unemployment rate in Coos County hovering around 13 percent, retailers have a deep pool of applicants to draw from.

Marcy Potts, human resources coordinator at Fred Meyer in Coos Bay, has received about 300 applications in recent weeks, more than she’s seen in years past.

“It’s definitely increased because of the economy,” Potts said.

She was unsure how many positions she plans to fill, though all temporary jobs will be part-time with pay beginning around $8.50 an hour, a dime above minimum wage.

Potts has seen the quality of applicants improve �” perhaps too much.

“Several are way over-qualified,” she said.

She’ll likely call them for interviews anyway.

Harry Ritchies Jewelers in Pony Village Mall isn’t having that problem.

“We have very strict guidelines for hiring,” manager Joe Fisher said.

He’s looking for one sales associate to work about 19 hours a week through the holidays. So far, he’s received about 80 applications.

“A lot aren’t qualified,” he said.

Some don’t even live here. He’s had applications from as far away as Lincoln City.

Macy’s in Pony Village conducted a mass interview Friday, with plans to bring on 14 associates. HR Manager Tanchel Reasor said the new hires will begin next week and work through Christmas. She said she has about 150 applications to select from.

Most retailers reported they expect to hire roughly the same amount of seasonal help as in previous years �” except JCPenny. It’s hiring more.

Since early October, JCPenny at Pony Village has added about nine seasonal employees �” about four more than last year, said store manager Michelle Peters.

She said the store has been performing well.

“More sales means more jobs,” Peters said.

While many temporary retail jobs are part-time, offer low pay and few if any benefits, it’s a foot in the door for some.

“We’ve seen a lot of temps turn into full-time associates,” said Kenn Brand, manager of Staples in Coos Bay.

He said his store likely will be hiring holiday help closer to Thanksgiving.