Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Alabama: After 43 years women’s clothing store The Wagon Wheel shutdown. The owner says she must focus on other things.
California: In Carson, Tatung of America issued a shutdown WARN, saying 98 people will become jobless in May. In San Diego, Japan based Sony laid off 75 employees. In Santa Ana, ITT Cannon issued a layoff WARN saying 56 people will be unemployed by the end of May. The Red Cross shutting down its San Diego call center, 38 jobs lost.
Colorado: In Colorado Springs, 144 years old (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Sinton Dairy Foods announced they will end fresh milk production and layoff 120 employees by May! It’s part of their plan to make a new extended shelf life milk.
Florida: In Orlando, DeVry University issued a layoff WARN saying 50 employees will be unemployed in May. In Jacksonville, Bank of America WARNed that three more employees will be laid off in May.
Illinois: Elgin School District U-46 announced they will eliminate 463 jobs! It’s blamed on what I call DSS (Disappearing Student Syndrome). The state court system is short $14-million USD, and is about to layoff court reporters. The layoffs and reductions in hours will take place in April.
Iowa: In Ames, the Department of Natural Resources warned they might have to shutdown their 80 years old nursery. Administrators say revenues are so low they can no longer support themselves.
Kentucky: In Bowling Green, after 29 years the owner of Steve’s Sports Cards announced he’s calling it quits in April, blaming the internet: “It’s been impossible for a single store to compete with the selection and the price you can find on the Internet.”
Maine: After 33 years the Grasshopper Shop in Ellsworth shutdown. No reason was given.
Maryland: Mass producer of frozen food Gourmet Express Acquisition now chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Company administrators blame crashing sales (an almost $20-million drop in sales).
Massachusetts: The Red Cross announced it is shutting down its Springfield call center in May, 14 jobs lost.
Michigan: The city administrators of Saginaw say they’re being pro-active and will layoff 13 firefighters. The city never had enough money to pay them anyway, their current salaries being paid for with federal taxes, which are scheduled to end in June. The FutureMark paper mill in Manistique shutdown, 147 jobs lost! Company administrators blamed “sudden and unanticipated events including loss of liquidity”.
Nebraska: In Omaha, Great Western Bank shutdown three offices.
New Hampshire: In Hampton, after 39 years O’Donnell’s Imports shutdown their brick-n-mortar store. They will continue their Irish import business on the internet.
New Mexico: In Sante Fe, after almost 40 years Leishman’s Fine Furniture shutdown. The owner said she must care for her parents.
New York: In Bronx, warehouse operator Morris Okun issued a shutdown WARN, saying 115 people will be jobless by June! The property was sold-off. In Rochester, metal shop Dayton Rogers issued a layoff WARN saying 35 people will be laid off in June, due to the bad economy. Crashing & burning Viacom laid off “a number of executives and assistants” at Nickelodeon.
North Carolina: In Denton, Councill Furniture surprised its employees by announcing the shutdown of both its furniture factories! The factories are actually owned by another company, which sold off the factories to a competitor. Obama Care killed off a home care company overnight! Employees of Royal Home Care arrived to work to find a note stating “With the Medicaid reimbursement rate being inconsistence, another reimbursement rate cut at the beginning of this year, trying to meet everyone’s demand for a higher pay rate/salary, paying all employees in advance who came over from St. Mary’s and now being placed on a prepayment review by DMA due to the spike in volume of clients, Royal will no longer be able to take on anymore debts. Attempts to have the prepayment review status rescinded was unsuccessful.
We regret to inform you, due to all the above we were forced to close the agency effective immediately.” At least 24 employees never got their final paycheck, according to state labor administrators.
Cary based convenience store The Pantry is now owned by British empire Canadian company Alimentation Couche-Tard. As a result, at least 250 people in North Carolina are now being laid off!
South Dakota: In Sioux Falls, Great Western Bank shutdown two offices.
Texas: Fort Worth natural gas producer Quicksilver Resources now chapter chapter 11 bankrupt busted. Administrators say they’ve lost so much money they can’t pay debts that aren’t due until 2019! Failed Radio Shack laid off “several dozens” of people at its Forth Worth HQ.
Virginia: Horizon Behavioral Health laid off 20 employees, blaming new state laws.
Wisconsin: In Marshfield, after 15 years The Back Porch shutdown, the owners said they had to care for their ill mother.
13 – 14 March 2015: Great Depression surviving variety store crashing & burning!
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.