Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
California: San Jose based internet payment service paypal has notified users that after October they will no longer allow person to person money transfers in or out of Puerto Rico! Foster City based Marvel superhero video game maker Gazillion laid off an undisclosed number of employees, one employee tweeted it was “A LOT”. In San Francisco, after 15 years restaurant Pesce shutting down next week, some people question the recent move into a bigger (and more expensive) place.
Connecticut: How can we track unemployment numbers? The state Department of Labor is shutting down five unemployment centers and eliminating 95 jobs.
Florida: Palm Beach County eliminated healthcare jobs due to massive state funding cuts for the Adults with Disabilities program.
Idaho: Once again, taxpayers are being raped in The Gem State! It’s been revealed that the teacher’s union known as Boise Education Association is being funded with taxpayers dollars: “Every dollar that taxpayers are asked to put into public schools ought to go to public schools, not into feeding the union machine!”-Wayne Hoffman, Idaho Freedom Foundation
It’s also been revealed that Idaho is one of several states that allow the employers of home healthcare workers to pay them less than minimum wage and avoid overtime pay!
Interestingly, the Right to Work you-over Gem State is finally realizing just how much Right to Work is actually resulting in a labor shortage. The Department of Labor admitted there is not enough workers for expected new jobs (because people are leaving), so they started a new website inviting college grads to get screwed-over in the Right to Work state.
Illinois: The state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity reports that, officially, 2,140 people lost their jobs in August! In Arlington Flats, Microsoft owned cell phone maker Nokia laying off 139 people in October! In Chicago, sports medicine and clothing maker McDavid eliminating 115 jobs in November! It’s the result of their merger with Minnesota based Shock Doctor Sports. Too Big to Jail investment banker Piper Jaffray eliminating 41 jobs in October. In Rochelle, Japan based bullet train maker Nippon Sharyo Manufacturing laying off 1-hundred people due to problems with their latest prototype. In Kankakee, after 34 years Paperback Reader shutdown: “The last couple years have been harder and harder. You can’t keep fighting the economy and technology all the time.”-Paula Goodwin
Kansas: In Wichita, the last Metro Grill shutdown, owner Victor Hammond lamented “We worked so hard. Maybe if we’d been in a different location.” In Topeka, after more than 40 years Health Food Mart shutting down: “We just don’t have enough business to keep the doors open….”-unnamed manager
Minnesota: Pub operator Chatterbox Enterprises now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.
Mississippi: The YMCA shutting down its Jackson Deville Plaza ops, it’s blamed on a lack of local support.
Missouri: Restaurant Applebee’s moving its Kansas City HQ to California, affecting 220 jobs! Reports say 90 people will continue operations in Kansas City and about 30 will be offered transfers to The Golden State.
Nevada: Canada owned Robinson Nevada Mining Company eliminated 36 jobs.
New Hampshire: In Lebanon, after 45 years shoe store Shoetorium shutdown, blaming crashed sales and skyrocketing operating costs: “Business has dropped off…..You have people come in the store, look at your stuff and then they go and buy it online.”-Marty Carlton
New Jersey: Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) forced insurance company MetLife to issue a mass layoff WARN for operations in Somerset, 136 jobs lost by the end of October!
New York: Affordable Care Act probably had a hand in Liberty Healthcare losing their contract to operate the Westchester Behavioral Health Center, at least 199 jobs lost right after Thanksgiving! Affordable Care Act probably had a hand in Morrison Management Specialists losing their food service contract at the Nostrand Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 40 jobs lost by the end of the month. In NYC, Too Big to Jail Misys International Banking Systems joining mass exodus out of The Empire State, 54 jobs relocating out of state between December and June 2016. At the Griffiss International Airport, Switzerland based Midair USA will conduct mass layoffs and is in danger of shutting down. It’s blamed on declining aircraft maintenance contracts, which are expected to get worse as their biggest customer, in Russia, was just taken over by a rival. The county run Griffiss Airport is owed more than half a million dollars by Midair.
North Carolina: In Siler City, after 20 years non-profit Hispanic Liaison of Chatham County shutting down, blaming “an increasingly difficult economic and funding climate for nonprofits.”
Pennsylvania: TV shopping channel QVC issued a shutdown WARN for their West Chester HQ/distribution center, 147 jobs lost by the beginning of November! Is it connected to QVC’s $2.4-billion USD takeover of Zulily? In Lancaster, after 35 years law firm Hartman Underhill & Brubaker shutting down, at least 48 jobs lost.
South Carolina: In Florence, Porter’s Gift Shop shutting down: “We had hoped to pass the store on to someone who would continue its wonderful service and traditions. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, this has not happened.”-facebook posting
South Dakota: In Custer, after almost 50 years The Flintstones Bedrock City Theme Park and Camping Resort shutting down due to change of ownership. The new owners have yet to sign a deal with Warner Brothers to continue using the Flintstones theme.
Tennessee: In Nashville, the Dollar General store shutting down on Fifth Avenue North, due to a change in property owners. North Knoxville, after 22 years Kitts Cafe shutdown: “A year and a half ago, I had cancer, chemo all that, a double mastectomy and I just thought ‘you know it’s probably time for me to be thinking about retiring.’”-Joyce Kitts
Vermont: In Burlington, after 75 years Bove’s Restaurant shutting down in December, the owners will focus on wholesale and catering.
Virginia: In Lynchburg, the Apple Market shutdown and has been for sale for a while, with no takers. What construction industry recovery? Once one of Virginia’s fastest growing companies, 20 years old Capital Door Systems now chapter 7 bankrupt busted: “We are going to let the bankruptcy trustee put everything in order and liquidate the assets and pay out what is possible to the creditors.”-Roy M. Terry Jr., attorney
Wisconsin: In Whitewater, CNC machining company HyPro shutting down, 62 jobs lost by November. After 33 years the Chancery restaurant on South 27th Street, in Milwaukee, shutdown and now up for sale. The Chancery restaurant on Gas Light Drive, in Racine, has been sold. The YMCA shutdown their Wausau childcare center “due to unforeseen circumstances”.
03 September 2015: “We just could not sustain it any more…”
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”