Labor & Employment

New York City -- Brixmor Property Group announced Tuesday a series of corporate and regional enhancements to its leasing and redevelopment capabilities as it re-focuses on growing portfolio occupancy, strengthening retailer relationships and ramping-up redevelopment efforts.

Timothy J. Bruce has been appointed executive VP, leasing and redevelopment and as a member of the company’s Management Committee.  

New York City -- Saks Fifth Avenue will close its store in downtown Pittsburgh in 2012, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported. The news follows negotiations between the retailer, the store’s landlord and city officials over funding for renovations to the building.

Washington, D.C. -- A new survey released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation found that nearly all retailers rely on background checks to keep their customers, and themselves, safe.

The survey, completed by retail executives from 96 of the nation’s leading department stores, mass merchants, discounters, drug stores, grocery stores and restaurants, examined retailers’ use of background screenings during the application and employment process.

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) applauded House Education and the Workforce Chairman Jon Kline for the introduction of the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act and urged for its speedy passage.

The legislation comes in response to efforts by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to impose several components of the job-killing Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), a priority of organized labor that failed to gain support in Congress.

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners announced the hiring of Brandon L. Singer as a first VP in the New York office.

Singer will join SRS’ newly formed SRS Urban team, which consists of seasoned retail specialists focused on major urban retail markets in the United States. In the Metro New York market, he will help lead the SRS Urban push into landlord services and investment sales.

Singer was most recently a senior director at Robert K. Futterman and Associates. 

The revelation this week that Target chief marketing officer Michael Francis had jumped ship to become president at JCPenney was a surprising development that sucked some of the oxygen out of the retailer’s Minneapolis headquarters. Target is all about marketing and Francis was instrumental in shaping some of the most interesting customer communications the marketing world saw during the past decade. He was so highly thought of that earlier this year he was tapped to lead Target’s entry into Canada, arguably the company’s most significant longer term growth driver.

Menomonee Falls, Wis. — Kohl’s Corp. said Tuesday it will hire 40,000 seasonal workers for the 2011 holiday shopping period, about 5% more than in 2010.

The plan equates to about 35 additional associates per store at its 1,127 stores, each working about 20 hours per week.

In addition, Kohl's said it plans to hire 2,500 seasonal workers at DCs and 500 seasonal and full-time credit operations workers.

Washington -- The National Retail Federation announced that it is pleased with President Obama's efforts to implement three pending Free Trade Agreements.