Big Lots workers see retail hiring gains, but part-time hours rise

Big Lots workers got a split signal from April’s labor report: retail trade added 22,000 jobs even as the number of people working part time for economic reasons jumped by 445,000 to 4.9 million. That gap matters on the sales floor, where a stronger hiring picture can sit alongside leaner schedules, fewer guaranteed hours and more competition for the shifts that do open up.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 115,000 in April and the unemployment rate held at 4.3 percent. Retail’s gain came from warehouse clubs, supercenters and other general merchandise retailers, which added 18,000 jobs, and from building material and garden equipment dealers, which added 13,000. Department stores, by contrast, lost 7,000 jobs. The labor force participation rate was 61.8 percent, the employment-population ratio was 59.1 percent, short-term unemployment rose by 358,000 to 2.5 million, and long-term unemployment held at 1.8 million, or 25.3 percent of all unemployed people.

For Big Lots employees, the part-time number is the one to watch. BLS says people in that category worked 1 to 34 hours during the survey week because of slack work, unfavorable business conditions, inability to find full-time work or seasonal declines in demand. That is the same kind of pressure workers feel when a store is hiring but the schedule still comes up short. The report suggests there is labor movement in retail, but not enough strength yet to erase the hours problem.

That leaves a practical checklist for workers. Watch posting boards for openings that are not just cashier or stocking roles, but cross-trained positions that can move between floor, truck and backroom work. Keep availability current, because managers trying to stretch payroll will often fill early, late and weekend gaps first. For associates trying to move up, internal transfers and added responsibilities can matter as much as a job title when a store is choosing who gets more hours.

The stakes are higher at Big Lots because the chain is still working through a major reset. Former BL Stores, Inc. and its subsidiaries filed Chapter 11 on September 9, 2024, in Delaware, and the case converted to Chapter 7 on November 10, 2025. Gordon Brothers said its January 9, 2025 transaction preserved the brand, kept hundreds of stores open and prevented thousands of layoffs, while Variety Wholesalers said it would acquire at least 200 stores under the Big Lots name and later reopen 132 stores across 14 states. Big Lots’ jobs page says opportunities exist in more than 220 stores across 17 states, including store support center roles in Columbus, Ohio, and Henderson, North Carolina. For workers, the message is clear: hiring is still happening, but the fight is increasingly about getting enough hours to make the job work.