As unemployment falls, N. Ky. company hiring hundreds for holidays

WALTON, Ky. - During the same week that national and Ohio unemployment rates dropped slightly, and leading economic indicators rose, a Northern Kentucky shipping warehouse is desperately looking for as many as 350 more seasonal employees.

GSI Commerce in Walton is holding daily job interviews for packing and shipping positions that start immediately at its 40 Logistics Blvd warehouse. The company is interviewing as many as 150 people a day, six days a week. The company was recently purchased by eBay.

Saturdays, GSI is taking applications from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays from Monday through Friday and interviewing applicants from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

GSI's Operations Manager, Ron Livengood, says "It's not like it was three or four years ago when we really had a problem with, are we going to get the orders or not. This year, we're growing big time here. The orders are coming in, left and right. And we need the folks."

Among the new hires at GSI is Jason Schmaltz of Lawrenceburg. He says he spent three years looking for a real job after losing another warehousing job elsewhere.

 "It's good, especially right before Christmas. You know. We have the opportunity to come in and make some overtime, and some extra money. So it's good," Schmaltz says.

Another job applicant at GSI is Stephanie West from Mt. Orab. She's been a housewife for the last three years, but now, with her husband retired, she needs a job. She was told on Friday that she'd know for sure if she got a job at GSI within a couple of days.

"Yes. It's awesome. I'm so excited. I called my husband to let him know that  we're employed. He was so excited," says West.

On Thursday, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported that Ohio's joblessness rate fell to 9 percent in October from 9.1 percent in September, which matches the national unemployment rate. Ohio added jobs in manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, education and in health services.

Meanwhile, future economic activity rose across the nation at a solid pace in October. The Conference Board reports its leading economic indicators rose .9 percent last month, significantly faster than .1 percent increase in September and the .3 percent rise in August.