Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.
Today is U.S. federal commemorative holiday Cesar Chavez Day.
Industry analysts Challenger, Gray & Christmas report that publicly announced corporate layoffs for the past 12 months are at a 4 years high.
California: In Berkeley, The Bone Room curiosity shop (selling preserved bones of animals, etc) shutting down their brick-n-mortar shop by June, blaming rent and utilities. They’ll continue on the internet and at local events. After only two months “high-priced” restaurant Antoinette shutdown due to disagreements with the Claremont Club & Spa hotel.
Colorado: In Steamboat Springs, after 34 years La Montana shutdown today, after being sold off. It’s hoped the new owner will keep the 38 workers employed with a new establishment.
Florida: Yet more medical school shutdowns! The first victim of non-profit Zenith Education Groups massive cutbacks; Everest University announced it must shutdown campuses in Lakeland, Brandon and two in Tampa Bay, affecting at least 343 medical students: “It’s a slap in the face for everybody really!”-Angela Adams, medical billing student
Idaho: Evil Blue Cross of Idaho ended its ObamaCare exchange coverage of dialysis, resulting in many Idahoans with no way to pay for treatment. The Idaho Statesman newspaper says Blue Cross is refusing to cover any medical service provider that is not willing to take Blue Cross’ cutthroat rates. The Idaho Department of Insurance refuses to comment about the issue, claiming they’re investigating it. Dozens more Idahoans could die.: “…we were with Blue Cross last year, when I was diagnosed with kidney failure…started…hemodialysis…..then we got a bill for $115,000….. Blue Cross of Idaho did not re-up our contract…”-Debbie Birch
The Post Register reporting that a yet another newbie to The Gem State (who moved here from a more ‘socialist’ state) got a big shock when he enrolled with Blue Cross through Idaho’s ObamaCare exchange (Your Health Idaho). The man is suffering from cancer but recently was told by the pharmacy that his prescriptions would not longer be filled because of Blue Cross. Let me explain how evil Blue Cross of Idaho is; the cancer patient’s treatment is so expensive that he’s getting financial help from charities on top of his Affordable Care Act insurance, however, Blue Cross told him ObamaCare does not allow “third party funding” of medical treatments! But get this, in a follow up interview with Blue Cross the Post register said that suddenly everything is fine and they will go ahead and pay for the man’s prescriptions!
Iowa: Chain restaurant Village Inn shutdown its Lindale Mall location without warning, administrators blamed it on high rent. What automotive industry recovery? Eaton Corporation revealed it will shutdown its Shenandoah transmission factory by mid-April. I’m not sure if this is part of the 250 layoffs announced back in February. Local news reports say employees are already listing their homes for sale. An unnamed employee says the factory shutdown will kill the community: “There’s no rhyme or reason to much anymore. Shenandoah is already seeing a hit. It will kill this small town.”
Louisiana: In Lafayette, after 42 years Doucet Heritage Hardware shutting down by mid-May. Despite having the reputation for carrying stuff people can’t find at ‘big box stores’ the owners blame competition with the big box, as well as increasing costs of operations and decreased sales. But the final straw was when they witnessed people being shot that caused them to realize that family time was more important than trying to make money: “I just never had that kind of panic, never in my life. It just made me realize how fast something can happen. My family is so important to me…….It was a really big eye opener.”-Laura Leblanc, co-owner
Massachusetts: Southcoast Health System laying off at least 95 employees in its hospital chain due to crashing revenues caused by ObamaCare. It should be noted that Southcoast Health System is trying to merge with another hospital chain that’s also eliminating jobs; Care New England of Rhode Island. After 32 years Au Bon Pain shutdown their Harvard Square restaurant apparently because of property remodeling by Harvard University. Administrators say “We continue to search for a location in this area.”
Michigan: Feeding America shutting down its warehouses in Ishpeming and Sault Set Marie, claiming they’re moving to a larger operation. However, several food banks are reporting that the move by Feeding America is actually forcing them to shutdown. The Ishpeming Food Bank and Tom’s Pantry in Quinnesec both point out that even though Feeding America’s is moving to a larger location the delivery times aren’t compensating for the further distance, meaning food banks will have to expanded refrigerated storage and/or hire delivery trucks to make extra food runs: “Because they only come up twice a month, you’re going to have to have a lot more refrigeration space than what I have. You’re going to have to have pickups and trailers in order to pick up your food. This is going to cause us to have to close.”-Mary Dixon, Tom’s Pantry
New York: Too Big to Jail NYC based ‘asset manager’ BlackRock reportedly will eliminate 4-hundred jobs in the next two weeks! The news comes from unnamed insiders, who pointed out that the company also plans to continue hiring new employees while they layoff old employees. After more than 30 years of school bus service, Carrier Coach issued a shutdown WARN for multiple locations, 224 jobs lost by the end of June due to “economic” reasons! In Montauk, the Sloppy Tuna restaurant shutdown due to the co-owners filing lawsuits against each other.
North Carolina: After ten years and without warning the Park West Barber School shutdown four of its campuses. The school’s website had the following message: “IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS AND REGRET THAT WE MUST INFORM YOU THAT EFFECTIVE TUESDAY MARCH 29, 2016 PARK WEST HAS MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO CLOSE…..THINGS SEEMED PROMISING, BUT UNFORTUNATELY AT THE FINAL HOUR, OUR ONLY OPTION WAS TO CLOSE.”
Pennsylvania: In Richland, the Planet Ice ice rink shutting down July, it’s blamed on competition and will be re-purposed.
Vermont: In Stowe, after 25 years dog themed restaurant Gracie’s shutting down so the owners can retire.
Virginia: Just short of a year Shoryuken Ramen shutting down its noodle eatery on Virginia Commonwealth University campus in May.
Washington: Socialist yet ‘wants everything for free’ Seattle city leaders are upset that a major homeless shelter is shutting down, even threaten them if they do. But SHARE/WELL (Seattle Housing Resource Effort, Women’s Housing Equality Enhancement League) says they can’t pay the bills due to drastic cuts in county level funding and the high cost of living in Seattle, so they’re forced to close 15 shelters: “So we can’t pay the money out if we don’t have it, and we’ve fallen behind $75,000 right now, so we can no longer operate. We have not paid our employees and they’re all minimum wage employees. We have not paid our employees in over a month!”-Clint Wade
Wisconsin: In Middleton, Max’s Farm Table shutdown. The pissed-off owner revealed he recently spent $1-thousand USD for one week of advertising, yet still his restaurant went several hours per day without a customer: “Sales aren’t even close to where they need to be to justify continuing to invest. Not even close!”-Max Harn, who also said the rent was too high for the unpredictable location
Wyoming: In Casper, what I call Ripple Effect layoffs (REL) as oil industry equipment supplier Power Service laid off at least 50 people. And Wyoming Machinery is begging employees at its five locations to retire early. Missouri based Peabody Energy handed out new layoff notices at its North Antelope Rochelle mine, employees say actual number of layoffs won’t be revealed until Friday. Earlier this week I revealed that Peabody Energy is threatening bankruptcy as one way to get out of paying for mine waste cleanup in Illinois.
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!
Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”
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.”