JCPenney is opening for Black Friday sales earlier than almost any other retailer
- JCPenney is opening at 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and will stay open until 10 p.m. on Black Friday.
- The 2 p.m. start time is an earlier kick-off than that of any other retailer that has announced Black Friday sales so far this year.
- Associates will be paid two times their normal hourly rate, a company spokesperson said.
JCPenney is going all-in on Black Friday mania again this year.
The department store announced on Thursday that it will be opening its doors at 2 p.m on Thanksgiving Day and will stay open until 10 p.m. on Black Friday. Stores then reopen at 8 a.m. on Saturday, November 24, for its "Black Friday Extended" sale.
This is considerably longer than some of its competitors, including Target and Macy's, which will open later in the afternoon and close later that night.
While Kohl's will also be open all night, its sales kick off at 5 p.m. on Thursday and end at 1 p.m. on Monday.
Read more: Kohl's will open stores for Black Friday on Thanksgiving Day
"Our stores will be staffed with a dedicated team of associates who will be ready to serve customers and celebrate the occasion with co-workers enjoying food, giveaways and activities to keep their spirits high throughout the evening," a spokesperson for JCPenney said in a comment emailed to Business Insider.
He continued: "We make every effort to staff the holiday with associates who volunteer to work that day, and to schedule their desired shifts so they can spend time with their friends and families."
The spokesperson confirmed that associates will be paid two times their normal hourly rate and will not be able to work more than an eight-hour shift.
Last month, JCPenney announced it was on the hunt for 39,000 holiday workers.
According to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, there are 704,000 job openings this holiday season, which is the highest number reported since it began recording the data in 2012.
JCPenney said it would be offering perks like free vacations to entice temporary workers to take positions at its stores during the holidays as the "war for talent" intensifies.
More on Black Friday 2018:
- What you need to know about Black Friday this year
- Black Friday is dead - and constant discounts could be to blame
- Stores already have their Christmas decorations out, and it reveals a strategy that is killing Black Friday as we know it
- Black Friday sales are starting soon - here's when stores will open
- Here's when Costco is kicking off Black Friday