Seasonal hiring in the U.S. is now in full-swing as employers expect to add as many 800,000 temporary workers, the highest number of workers since the recession. Despite the need firms are not necessarily paying more for the help. Ginger Vaughn reported this story from Houston.

Lisa Allen has recently joined the ranks of the newly-employed this holiday season, as a new part-time hire at Goodwill Industries, one of many employers seeking help during the holiday season.

“I was pretty much willing to do anything. I am getting in at $7.25 minimum wage, so there’s nowhere from here but up. A lot of people are looking for work. It’s the time of the year, with Christmas coming up, you know families to support and take care, and the job market is tough out here, but I got it!,” Allen said.

For Allen, who has been out of work for over 10 months, the holiday job boom means more than just a seasonal paycheck, but hope for long-term employment.

This holiday season, Toys R Us will hire 45,000 seasonal workers at its 877 U.S. stores and distribution centers, more than doubling its total workforce. Wal-Mart will add over 60,000 seasonal employees, a 10 percent increase from last year. And to get holidays gifts to doorsteps, delivery firm UPS plans to hire 95,000 workers, while FedEx aims for 50,000.

While company seasonal retail hires are in demand, the pay hasn’t risen for most of the positions. In September, non-supervisor retail wages increased just 2 barely, barely in line with inflation.

Peter Morici of University of Maryland discusses latest jobs report

CCTV America interviewed University of Maryland professor Peter Morici, an expert on economic policy, about Friday’s data release by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showing that 321,000 new jobs were added last month.