Seasonal employment: 7 tips for small businesses hiring for the summer

Miami Herald

27-05-2025

Seasonal employment: 7 tips for small businesses hiring for the summer
For many small business owners, the busy summer season brings both increased profits and staffing headaches. Instead of hiring permanent employees, seasonal employment can be a flexible solution to keep your operations running smoothly during your busiest months.
However, hiring seasonal employees can be tricky. To help, NEXT researched the pros and cons of seasonal employment, tips for hiring and retaining summer workers, pay, insurance requirements and more.
What is seasonal employment?
Companies hire for seasonal work for limited periods-from a single event or weekend to several months-to meet temporary increases in demand. These jobs can be part-time, full-time, single-day, or contracted positions.
The businesses most likely to benefit the most from seasonal hiring can include:
Vacation resortsYouth summer campsPoolsConstructionSki resortsLawn careLandscapingAgriculture and farmingFood serviceRetail storesGolf coursesDelivery servicesMovie theaters
How long are seasonal jobs?
Summer seasonal employment typically lasts several months, but roles can be as brief as a single event or weekend.
Due to ongoing labor shortages, small businesses face tougher competition for summer talent. A recent NEXT survey revealed that labor shortage concerns doubled since 2023-the biggest increase among all small business stressors. These shortages make it increasingly important to recruit early and strategically. For instance, a restaurant expecting large crowds for a Fourth of July event might hire seasonal staff specifically for that one busy day.
A business owner may need seasonal hiring to keep up with demand in the spring if they own a lawn care business. A summer camp could hire seasonal staffing only for the summer weeks, plus one or two weeks of preparation and cleanup.
It's very common for retail store owners or delivery businesses to seek out holiday hiring for the winter season. But if you sell chocolates and flowers, Valentine's Day could be an equally busy time of year.
Pay rates and overtime wages for hiring seasonal workers
Seasonal employees are generally subject to the same employment laws as regular employees, including rules on minimum wage and overtime pay. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), most seasonal employees must earn:
At least the federal minimum wage ($7.25 per hour) and;Receive overtime pay at one-and-a-half times their hourly wage for hours over 40 in a workweek.
However, state laws differ significantly, often requiring a higher minimum wage or more generous overtime rules. (Check your state's minimum wage.) Non-compliance can lead to costly fines or legal action, so staying informed about your local regulations is crucial.
There are exceptions specific to seasonal businesses. For example, employees at seasonal amusement parks, recreational facilities, or summer camps operating less than seven months per year might be exempt from the standard overtime pay requirements set by the FLSA. If your business falls into these categories, carefully verify your eligibility for these exemptions.
Best practices: Document employment terms-including pay rates, overtime policies, and expected work hours-to prevent misunderstandings and potential disputes. Consult a labor attorney or your state labor department before hiring seasonal workers to ensure you're fully compliant.
Insurance requirements for seasonal hiring
Most states require businesses with at least one employee to carry workers' compensation insurance. This coverage can help cover medical expenses, lost wages and other costs related to on-the-job injuries or illnesses.
In most cases, hiring seasonal employees requires you to have workers' comp coverage. Always confirm your local requirements to ensure you're in compliance.
And here's the kicker: Seasonal workers often tend to be at higher risk of injury because they get less training and are typically less experienced. Make sure you have the proper training and protections in place to help protect your workers, yourself, and your business.
7 tips for hiring seasonal employees
Seasonal workers can help you fill labor gaps during your busiest time of year. Here are some helpful tips for finding quality seasonal workers:
1. Start recruiting early to beat the rush
Finding great summer employees can be competitive. Many businesses post their summer seasonal job listings as early as February or March to attract the strongest candidates, especially students or teachers.
Use local job boards, social media, university bulletin boards, or specialized summer hiring platforms to gain a head start over your competition. A few popular job boards include:
IndeedZipRecruiterSnagajobCoolworksSeasonalJobs.comCraigslistHandshake
2. Clearly define summer job expectations
Summer seasonal workers thrive when their roles are clearly defined. State job responsibilities, work schedules, pay rates, overtime expectations and the exact duration of the summer position in your job listings and interviews. Transparency helps summer hires fully understand their roles, reduces turnover and helps employees stay motivated throughout the busy summer months.
3. Focus on candidates specifically seeking summer seasonal work
Target candidates explicitly interested in summer-only roles. College students, recent graduates, teachers on summer break, stay-at-home parents with limited time and retirees seeking supplemental summer income make ideal candidates.
Mark your job postings with clear language such as "summer seasonal," "temporary summer positions," or "perfect for students seeking summer jobs." This specificity ensures applicants fully understand the short-term nature of the work, minimizing unexpected turnover mid-season.
4. Prioritize enthusiasm and adaptability for summer jobs
Most temporary work doesn't require extensive experience. Attitude and adaptability are key to successful seasonal hires. Look for candidates with energy, enthusiasm and strong interpersonal skills.
DIY manufacturing shop owner April Wilkerson looks for these traits when vetting new team members. "Anybody who shows a willingness to want to be on my team and be in my world, I say 'Sure, let's give it a try." But she also advises owners to know when things aren't going to work out.
During interviews, ask questions that assess adaptability to the fast-paced summer environment, such as, "Tell me about a time you had to be flexible or shift gears fast during work," or "How do you handle working under rush conditions?"
5. Give preference to returning seasonal workers whenever possible
Returning workers already know your company's culture and processes, and require minimal retraining.
Maintain seasonal employee relationships during the off-season. Check-in periodically to ensure your former summer employees return eager and ready to contribute again.
6. Offer summer-specific perks and incentives
Make your seasonal jobs more attractive with summer-oriented perks such as flexible scheduling, bonuses for completing the entire summer season, discounts on products or services, or team-building events like barbecues or outings. These incentives may help attract higher-quality candidates who might otherwise choose other summer opportunities.
7. Streamline onboarding to maximize summer productivity
Summer is short, and you'll want your seasonal hires to be productive quickly. Develop concise, efficient onboarding and training materials-such as checklists or short training videos-to speed up the process.
Benefits and disadvantages of hiring for summer jobs
A few benefits for business owners hiring for the season include:
Flexible schedules: Scale up or down quickly by controlling how much staff you hire, when you hire them and how long their employment lasts.Lower employment costs: Eliminate the costs of hiring full-time staff by hiring seasonal employees to work during busy seasons only."Test-driven" employees: Use the seasonal hiring period to determine if an employee is a good fit for your business year round.
Some potential downsides of hiring for seasonal summer jobs include:
Workers with less training: Due to the brief period of employment, you'll have less time to train seasonal employees. It could result in lower-quality work.Lack of loyalty: Seasonal staff don't have as much skin in the game as regular employees, which could make productivity and performance suffer. They could also be more likely to leave mid-season, forcing you to hire again during your busiest time of year.Legal hurdles: Hiring seasonal staff may have different laws and requirements. Make sure you understand the rules around seasonal labor in your area.
This story was produced by NEXT and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
© Stacker Media, LLC.