Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
What real estate recovery? Internet based commercial office space seller 42Floors laid off at least 14 people in the cities of New York and San Francisco. The company halted its commercial real estate brokerage ops and will focus on providing internet searches and listings only: “Over the past few months, 42Floors has experimented with being a brokerage in addition to being a commercial real estate data and search website. We’ve decided today to stick with what we’re best at…”-Jason Freedman, founder
U.S. based barrel maker Greif Incorporated announced it will end metal barrel production in two U.S. states, and in Germany. The number of jobs to be lost were not made public.
Spain based ‘fast casual’ restaurant Mondatidos chain has placed 1-hundred of its U.S. restaurants into chapter 11 bankruptcy. It should be noted that none of Mondatidos restaurants in other countries are part of the bankruptcy, apparently the economy is that bad in the U.S.
Alabama: Bogue’s Restaurant now chapter 11 bankrupt busted: “A prime motivation factor for Bogue’s filing its reorganization case was to be able to pay its tax debts in an orderly manner.”-Bradley Hightower, attorney
California: What housing market recovery? Agoura Hills based InterThink sold off its mortgage division, resulting in at least 70 people being laid off.
Colorado: In Longmont, ‘spy’ satellite operator DigitalGlobe laid off 64 people. It’s part of the company’s plan to kill 155 jobs across the United States! Company administrators have been reporting profits but said their outlook for the future of the economy is grim, so they’re cutting jobs now.
Florida: In Tampa, Ohio Retail Security & Mainstreet Maintenance issued a WARN saying at least 49 people will be laid off by the end of May.
Idaho: Will nuclear power plant operator Areva shutdown their Eagle Rock project? The French government owned Areva revealed they lost more money. This time they lost $5.4-billion USD, and as a result they will begin cutting back on their international operations (they refuse to give details about those cuts).
Indiana: In Vincennes, flat glass maker Schott Gemtron laid off 65 employees. News reports did not indicate why. hhgregg appliance store chain announced they will shutdown stores in Indianapolis and Richmond, at least 30 employees affected. Two other stores are being consolidated.
Massachusetts: In Fenway, after four years Jerry Remy’s sports bar and grill shutdown.
Michigan: Byron Township based grocery chain owner SpartanNash announced they will shutdown ten grocery stores in their “western store base”. They say it’s necessary as part of their plans to “expand”. In Flint, Kroger shutdown yet another grocery store. They shutdown their Davidson Road store, 65 jobs lost.
Minnesota: Bus operator SmartLink Transit announced they will layoff employees, including all its drivers, due to the loss of several contracts. Company administrators say they will now contract out all the jobs, for less pay and no benefits.
New Jersey: Kean University announced it will layoff 54 janitors and grounds keepers. The jobs will be contracted out. University administrators claim they’re trying to cut $3.4-million per year, yet this didn’t stop them from spending $219-thousand on a conference table made in China!
New York: In Cortland, fishing materials supplier Cortland Line shutdown their three years old Riverside Plaza store. In Orleans County, Brown’s Berry Patch shutdown its retail berry picking ops. At LaGuardia Airport Terminal D, Airserv issued a shutdown WARN saying they lost their Gate Aviation contract and 178 people will become jobless at the beginning of June! News reports claim that call center operator Sitel issued a WARN on 02 March, saying 120 people at their Painted Post call center will become jobless by April, however, I checked the New York Department of Labor’s WARN site and couldn’t find any such notice dated 02 March. The same news reports said Sitel also WARNed in January they would layoff 278 people, but again, I couldn’t find the WARN on the New York Department of Labor’s website. Pioneer Credit Recovery lost their federal contract to harass people who owe money on student loans. 4-hundred debt collectors to become jobless (That’s good news)!
North Carolina: Thinking about getting that plastic surgery? Lifestyle Lift suddenly began shutting down their clinics, with no notice or explanation. News reports say employees have been working without pay! One doctor blames capitalism: “The more it’s treated like a commodity, the more you’re going to see failures like this.”-Stephen Finical
Ohio: The Buckeye State losing at least five CPS Operations owned Sears Appliance & Hardware stores, and possibly two Abtroit Limited Partnership owned Sears Appliance & Hardware stores by May (or until merchandise is sold out). They employ about 15 to 20 people each. Apparently the franchise owners of Sears Appliance & Hardware did not want to renew their contracts with Sears Holdings.
Pennsylvania: In Saint Marys, hospital Penn Highlands Elk announced they will eliminate 43 jobs and reduce the hours for 25 employees. A local news report blamed “systemic changes implemented under the Affordable Care Act”. Hospital administrator Raymond A. Graeca said “We’re facing a very different healthcare delivery environment today than we were five years ago, and the American Hospital Association is projecting that the next five years alone will hold more change than we’ve seen in the past 75 years combined.”
Virginia: In Bristol, the soon to be officially owned by Staples Office Depot announced it will shutdown its customer care center, causing 140 people to become jobless by the end of May! According to local news reports the shutdown was actually planned after Office Depot and OfficeMax merged in 2013. In Fredericksburg, home decor store This and That shutdown their brick-n-mortar op. One of the co-owners is pursuing a job in healthcare. Apparently they still sell on the internet.
01 – 03 March 2015: “We weren’t expecting this at all!”
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.