Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.
Arizona: Phoenix based rip off artist Apollo Education Group (owner of University of Phoenix,Western International University, Axia College, and College for Financial Planning) eliminated 70 jobs, as part of their plan to “re-engineer” the for-profit education operation due to crashing revenues. (possible due to the federal Department of Education accusing Apollo Education of lying about job placement rates)
Colorado: Westwood College suddenly halted enrollments and announced it will shutdown its Denver campuses by the end of March! Administrators blame crashing enrollments, but it could also have to do with the fact the state sued Westwood, accusing it of making false claims about students being able to find jobs after they graduate.
Georgia: Illinois base heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar eliminating 2-hundred jobs as it shuts down its Thomasville fuel factory! (see Illinois below)
Idaho: A new study shows that proposed new state tax rules actually puts money into the wallets of the rich! HB380 could result in an average tax reduction of $815 USD per 1-percenter and only a piddly $7 reduction for poorest of idahoans! This comes as the state Department of Health and Welfare revealed that a minimum of 21.1% of Idahoans received some sort of taxpayer funded assistance for every month of 2015. What Health and Welfare administrators didn’t reveal is that is a record number of Idahoans needing taxpayer funded help! According to Watchdog.org 2013 and 2014 were also record years, and 2016 is projected to set a record as well!
Illinois: In Streator, God couldn’t stop ObamaCare from forcing ‘his’ Saint Mary’s Hospital from laying off 1-hundred employees this month! Another 2-hundred employees affected as the hospital shifts to out-patient care services! The Affordable Care Act does not pay enough to cover the costs of inpatient care. Heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar announced an additional 230 layoffs in East Peoria as the bad economy forces radical restructuring and consolidations! A press release by Caterpillar execs stated they expect the bad times to last until at least 2018.
Indiana: In Irvington, after 17 years Dufour’s restaurant-bakery shutting down, the owner admitted “As I’ve aged, this business gets harder. My insides feel 18, but my outsides don’t.” Georgia based Southwire shutting down its Plainfield service center beginning in March, 50 jobs lost.
Kentucky: Carmeuse Lime and Stone laid off 35 people at its Black River mine.
Maryland: Shenanigans with taxpayer money, this time employees at the state run Springfield Hospital Center are questioning why they’re being laid off when the hospital supposedly has a surplus of money! At least 57 people will lose their jobs under the govna’s proposal to privatize the mental hospital, supposedly to save money. However, state Senate President Thomas V. Miller revealed that the Springfield Hospital Center is actually projected to have a surplus of more than $400-million USD!!!
Massachusetts: Nashoba Valley Medical Center began reducing nursing jobs as they reduce Emergency Room operations (under ObamaCare). In Lynn, General Electric (GE) laying off 59 aviation engineers, as part of a larger 3-hundred aviation jobs elimination across the country!
New York: CNN shutting down their Manhattan Center Productions operations, 74 jobs lost by the end of April. Sterling National Bank issued layoff WARNs for at least six offices, 27 jobs lost between May and June. In Ithaca, after 18 years Jabberwock curiosity shop shutdown due to ongoing construction and a greedy landlord who jack up the rent three times!
North Dakota: Farm vehicle maker CNH (Case New Holland) hitting Fargo with even more layoffs, this time 70 people becoming unemployed. Local news reports say that since 2014 CNH has eliminated 260 jobs in Fargo. Reports that Massachusetts based oil/ethanol company Global Partners is eliminating jobs with its Peace Garden State operations.
Ohio: In Liberty, Campus Health Care nursing home suddenly shutdown after its Tennessee based owner went bankrupt. Residents are being rescued from the nursing home that local news media discovered was considered “the worst of the worst” by federal regulators! Clothier Express shutting down its Dayton Mall store, as part of its parent company’s (Limited Brands) ongoing store shutdowns.
Oregon: In Clatskanie, Massachusetts based Global Partners laid off 50 oil terminal workers according to the official WARN. According to local news reports that’s more than the last reported number of employees who work there! In Lake Oswego, Youth Villages issued a layoff WARN for its Christie Campuses, 74 jobs lost by the beginning of March. In Springfield, Pacific States Plywood eliminating 39 jobs by mid-February. Medical device maker Greatbatch eliminated at least 140 jobs in Beaverton, as the company moves production to Mexico (probably to avoid the new ObamaCare medical device tax)! In Portland, A-List/H-List/Kitson hair salon apparently shutdown (according to state WARN listing).
Pennsylvania: In Allentown, American Hairlines and clothier Popmart shutting down, the operators admitted they bit off more than they could chew when they decided to open additional stores. Emmaus based publisher of health magazines Rodale eliminated 40 jobs in an effort to “focus on growing the business”.
Utah: Wild West themed Porter’s Place shutting down its Lehi restaurant because city administrators are running the operator outta town. The city owns the building and they want to tear it down. The owner of Porter’s Place say he hopes to open a new restaurant in the city of Nephi.
Virginia: Tobacco company Altria eliminating 490 jobs over the next two months! Despite claiming they had “a strong year” company administrators say the job cuts are part of preparations for expected changes in the industry (mainly increased competition). In Alexandria, the Urban Angler shutdown, the operators blame competition as well as city bureaucracy for delaying the grand opening for months.
Washington: Regional grocer (and bankrupt no thanks to being tricked by Albertson-Safeway) Haggen issued a shutdown WARN for their Puyallup store, 87 jobs lost at the beginning of March. Macy’s issued a shutdown WARN for their Spokane store, 94 jobs lost by mid-March. In Beacon Hill, after about ten years drag queen waitress restaurant Inay’s shutdown. In Bremerton, Concentrix shutting down their call center, 5-hundred jobs lost by the end of March! Administrators blame it on the loss of a major client.
Wisconsin: More proof the internet is not recession resistant; online party-costume supplier BuySeasons eliminating 130 jobs, blaming competition!
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.”