OPERATIONS / SUPPLY CHAIN

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation said that retail employment increased 28,000 in April 2014 from March 2014 and 241,000 year-over-year. March's retail employment was revised upward by 2,700 jobs.

NRF said the increase reflects the growth and positive momentum seen in the retail industry in recent months. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. economy as a whole added 288,000 jobs in April, reducing the unemployment rate from 6.7% to 6.3%.

Framingham, Mass. - Staples is launching its new Staples EasyTech Total Support plan, which provides consumers and small businesses with comprehensive technology services for both their new and old PCs, including upgrades, maintenance and installations. The service builds on Staples’ EasyTech program that launched in 2007, and helps customers make more happen with their devices.

New Albany, Ohio -- Abercrombie & Fitch Co. will nominate for election to its board of directors four new independent director candidates: Bonnie R. Brooks, Sarah M. Gallagher, Diane L. Neal and Stephanie M. Shern. The board retained a third-party search firm to assist in the search process for new independent directors with relevant experience.

New York -- The White House on Thursday called on Congress to pass legislation to create a national standard that would alert consumers when their data has been hacked. It one-of-six policy recommendations that comes after a 90-day review of data and privacy.

"As organizations store more information about individuals, Americans have a right to know if that information has been stolen or otherwise improperly exposed," said the report, led by John Podesta, a top advisor to President Barack Obama.

New York - MyCheck, a checkout app for restaurants, has collaborated with PayPal to enable U.S. consumers to pay at table through the PayPal app. The app itself enables users to select a restaurant from a list, check-in to the venue, and once there, view ordered items and prices on the mobile device, split the bill (if desired), add a tip, redeem an offer, accrue loyalty card stamps, quickly check out by hitting the pay button without waiting for a check, and receive an email receipt.

Austin, Texas - Online prescription eyewear retailer Eyebuydirect.com (EBD) has launched a new website featuring with more than 1,200 customizable frames. EBD has streamlined the online shopping experience for prescription glasses with the Eye Try tool, which allows customers to upload a photo of themselves in order to virtually try on any pair of frames available on the site.  
Each pair of glasses is adjusted according to the individual’s pupillary distance (PD) and eye alignment.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart is working with Autoinsurance.com to offer customers in Arkanas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas an auto insurance comparison service. AutoInsurance.com provides customers with multiple quotes from national insurance carriers including Progressive, Esurance, Safeco, The General and others within minutes.

Wal-Mart plans to offer the service nationwide in the coming months. The launch of this service stems from a successful pilot that took place in Pennsylvania during 2013.

Indianapolis – Hhgregg Inc. has hired Troy H. Risch as COO. Risch joins Hhgregg from RadioShack, where he served as executive VP of store operations.

Prior to this, Risch held a variety of operational leadership positions with Target Corp., including executive VP of stores. Risch will assume the COO position on May 5, 2014.