“We can’t stick it out any longer” Humana cancels ObamaCare! “we just can’t keep the doors open” : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 06 – 07 November 2015

Colorado:  Broomfield based Noodles & Company shutting down 16 restaurants! The ‘fast-casual’ ramen eatery lost $9.8-million USD in its 3rd quarter of 2015.  Denver-based Fidelity Exploration & Production suddenly shutdown and laid off 106 people: “The E&P business will cease to exist and we’re selling all of Fidelity’s assets.”-Rick Matteson, MDU Resources

Failed State Florida: In Sarasota, VIP Petcare eliminating 15 jobs right after Xmas.

Georgia:  Hutcheson Medical Center in Fort Oglethorpe shutting down before Xmas! Employees were shocked by the sudden announcement, even though the hospital is bankrupt busted. News reports say the hospital was actually supposed to shutdown five years ago!  In Savannah, after 65 years Pinky Master’s bar shutdown.  The owners say they’re being hit with lawsuits and were evicted.

Indiana: Alliance Resources issued shutdown WARNs for its Gibson North and Gibson South mines, at least 120 jobs lost after Xmas!

Kentucky: In Sebree, Alliance Resources shutdown their Onton mine, 140 jobs lost!  In Corbin, Whayne Supply laid off seven people, blaming the crashing coal industry.   Louisville based healthcare provider Humana announced they will no longer accept patients under specific ObamaCare health plans, affecting at least 100-thousand people: “Operating results for the company’s individual commercial medical business continue to be challenged primarily due to the volatility related to the start of the healthcare exchange program created under the Affordable Care Act….”Humana 3rd quarter financial report

Nebraska: In Lincoln, IAC Acoustics laid off 35 people, blaming “improved operational efficiency” and the oil industry.  In Grand Island, after 41 years the Sears Auto Center shutdown.

Failed State New York:  Texas de Brazil Churrascaria issued a shutdown WARN for their NYC restaurant, 34 people unemployed by February 2016.  More proof the internet is not to blame for killing brick-n-mortar jobs; internet ‘members only’ shopping site Ideel issued a shutdown WARN for their NYC operations. They’ve joined the mass exodus from the Big Apple and will move to Illinois, 63 New Yorkers unemployed by March 2016.  The city of Newburgh laying off ten firefighters right after Xmas.  This is what happens when local government weenie heads rely on federal taxpayer funded grants to run their day-to-day ops.  Conde Nast laid off seven employees from their GQ magazine.

North Carolina: Cary based transportation industry company Lord announced they are eliminating 270 jobs!  It’s blamed on crashing orders from the U.S. Department of Defensecaused by the U.S. Congress passing temporary short term budgets.

Ohio:  Wheelchair maker Invacare has conducted a second round of layoffs, this time 30 people were let go.  Back in August they laid off 150 people!  It’s blamed on a 2012 U.S. FDA decree which reduces Invacare’s production numbers.  Texas based Flowserve shutting down their remaining Dayton operations by 2016, 80 jobs lost.  It’s blamed on crashing sales which have caused “a trending loss in operating income.”  Local news reports say at one time 3-hundred Ohioans were employed by Flowserve.

Oregon:  In Beaverton, Micro Power Electronics eliminating 140 jobs after Xmas, New York based administrators refused to say why!

Pennsylvania: In Erie, GE (General Electric) Transportation revealed that 1-thousand 5-hundred people will lose their jobs, due to a sudden and huge crash in orders from the railroad industry!  In Hawley, after 30 years gift store Tiny Treasures shutdown: “…average sale per customer was down and expenses continued to climb.  Everyone, from vacationers to locals, comment on how much they love the store. Unfortunately, many were not buying and we just can’t keep the doors open based on this trend.”-Alec Dazenski, manager

Tennessee: Maryville based Ruby Tuesday announced it is selling eight Lime Fresh Mexican Grill restaurants, and shutting down another eleven!  Administrators say the economy is forcing them to focus on their namesake brand.

Utah:  More layoffs at the British empire Rio Tinto owned Kennecott mines (aka Bingham Canyon Mine).  65 people laid off and 40 vacant jobs eliminated due to crashing metals prices!

Virginia: Tax-sucker General Dynamics warned it will conduct mass layoffs with its National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, due to crashing U.S. Department of Defense spending caused by the U.S. Congress passing temporary short term budgets.  In Portsmouth, after 126 years (surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions) M. M. Crockin (aka Crockin’s Furniture) shutdown: “We just kept looking at the numbers, and we were going, ‘We can’t stick it out any longer’. We’d been putting money in this place, hoping things would turn around, but…”-Peter Crockin

Washington: More proof you can’t blame the internet for killing brick-n-mortar stores; Seattle based internet streaming service RealNetworks laid off 60 people, blaming their new contract with evil Verizon.

Washington DC:  According to the U.S.Census Bureau, Canada is no longer the biggest customer of U.S. products, China is.   Canada is now number two but it looks like Mexico could soon take that position.

04-05 November 2015: “a big sense of betrayal”

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.”