Labor & Employment

It may not feel like it in many parts of the country, but spring, the busiest time of the year for home improvement stores, is just around the corner. And Lowe’s is wasting no time in getting ready.

The retailer said it plans to hire 30,000 employees at its stores in the United States during spring. 

Home Depot is sure to follow the move by Lowe's with its own hiring spree in the next few weeks, especially considering it hired as many as 80,000 seasonal employees in winter/spring 2014.

Ebay Inc. said it plans to cut about 2,400 positions, or 7% of its workforce, across eBay marketplaces, PayPal, and eBay enterprise in the current quarter to simplify its organizational structure.

The company also said it will explore strategic options for eBay enterprise, including a sale or an IPO.

It's the end of an era for Safeway and Albertsons, as the companies announced they have completed their merger, ending a nearly year-long process that began in 2014.

AB Acquisition LLC, the owner of Albertson's and New Albertson's, Inc., will acquire all outstanding shares of Safeway. The merger will create a diversified network that includes 2,230 stores, 27 distribution facilities and 19 manufacturing plants with more than 250,000 employees across 34 states and the District of Columbia.

New York -- Activist investor Starboard Value LP, which helped put together the merger of OfficeMax and Office Depot, issued a letter on Tuesday calling for Staples Inc. and Office Depot Inc. to merge, saying it would lead to greater savings.

Bentonville, Ark. - The restructuring of Wal-Mart’s senior executive ranks continues with the latest round of appointments involving some familiar leaders in new roles with curious titles, as well as some key resignations.

New York -- Barnes & Noble announced that Mitchell Klipper, CEO of the retail group, will retire at the end of the fiscal year, ending May 2, but will remain with the company in the role of special advisor on real estate and other matters. Klipper, a 28-year veteran of the chain, previously served as the retailer’s COO and CFO before being appointed chief executive.

The retailer said it has begun a search to fill Klipper’s position and that he will help with the selection of the new retail CEO and in the transition process.

York, Pa. -- The Bon-Ton Stores announced that Keith E. Plowman, executive VP and CFO plans to retire in August. His departure will be followed by an 18-month consulting stint.

The retailer will undertake a national search to find a CFO to succeed Plowman.

Washington, D.C. – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will reportedly review a rule that allowed Whole Foods Market Inc. to block a shareholder proposal regarding director nominations. According to Bloomberg, the SEC said it will take another look at a regulation that lets public companies block proposals from shareholders if the company offers a similar proposal.

Toronto – Sears Canada is reaching out to Target’s Canadian employees. The retailer is encouraging the 17,600 workers who will likely lose their jobs when Target exits the Canadian market later this year to apply for jobs online.

Sears Canada also plans to host job fairs for soon-to-be-laid-off Target employees across Canada, and will host a meet-and-greet for Target Canada head office employees with senior executives and HR experts at its corporate headquarters on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

The chief executive of Barnes & Noble Inc.’s retail group will retire May 2.

Mitchell Klipper, will continue to work with the company as a special adviser on real estate and other matters, Barnes & Noble said. The company said it has begun to search for a new retail CEO, and Klipper will help in the process.