Incomplete list of job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Journal Boating Industry reports “Both the unemployment rate and the number of job openings have remained essentially unchanged month-over-month, and yearly gains are starting to flatten.”  Thom Dammrich, of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, reported mixed news for the boating industry as a whole, going into 2016:  “Fuel prices remain low. Interest rates remain low. There’s nothing negative happening to adversely affect boat sales in the coming year that we can see today……The saltwater category has been growing in double digits…..” but he had a warning “We still are not getting entry-level boaters and that’s who buys these boats. That seems to be who’s missing from this equation.”

Alabama: Birmingham based Regions Bank announced the elimination of 260 jobs!  

Arkansas: Oil pipe maker Tenaris laid off 1-hundred people, blaming the crashing-n-burning oil industry!

Arizona: Days after non-profit Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) boasted that it was responsible for creating  jobs in the Phoenix area, several former employees came forth and essentially said ‘bull-shit!’ as they were part of a round of unreported TGen layoffs in October!  A reporter, who just happens to live next door to one of those laid off, did some research and discovered that TGen laid off 12 people and eliminated four vacant positions by the end of 2015. Industry reports say mining company Freeport-McMoRan has begun to layoff at least 8-hundred people at its Green Valley molybdenum Sierrita Mine!  In December a co-founder of the company resigned, after vulture capitalist investor Carl Icahn gained a controlling stake in the company (Icahn is the same guy who recently took over auto parts store Pep Boys).

California:  San Francisco based Too Big to Jail Wells Fargo continues to kill jobs, this time 121 tech jobs across the country!  It’s been revealed that Wells Fargo is actually covering the bad loans of huge oil companies (by literally throwing money at them), this should piss you off because Wells Fargo (a major mortgage company) does not hesitate to foreclose on homeowners!  (Mmmm, is it a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul?)   More proof you can’t blame the internet for brick-n-mortar destruction, dating website Zoosk laid off 40 employees.  In Venice, Superba Snack Bar shutting down at the end of the month.   In Tulare,  a class action lawsuit against Jan & Gail’s Care Homes (“Care Homes”) said newly hired employees were forced to sign an agreement waiving their right to uninterrupted meal periods without notifying employees of their right to revoke the agreement at any time.  However, the trial court ruled subdivision 11(E) of Wage Order 5 allows residential care facilities to force their employees to work on-duty meal periods!  

Florida:   In Lake City, Sitel Operating Corporation issued a WARN saying 94 people will be laid off in March.

Idaho: State Department of Health and Welfare hit with lawsuit accusing the Right to Work (you over) agency of hiding the changes in Medicaid healthcare costs for people who face being institutionalized.  The lawsuit accuses the state administrators of pretending that costs will not go up by being placed in a nursing home or hospital, and, of not informing patients of their rights.  This lawsuit comes as state ‘lawmakers’ claimed their version of ObamaCare was saving money!

Kansas: Besides the nine Walmart stores shutting down within The Sunflower State, the QuickTrip fuel station on 13th and Oliver, in Wichita, shutting down after 25 years.  It’s directly and immediately blamed on the shutdowns of nearby Walmarts: “We didn’t know it was going to be affected as dramatically as it has.The other store has suffered much quicker than we anticipated. We’ve been watching it for a while, and we could see that, unfortunately, the sales continue to decline.”-Mike Thornbrugh, QuickTrip

Michigan:  A great indicator of a good, or bad, economy are the lock systems used by shipping around The Great Lakes.   Soo Locks reports shipping for 2015 was down 10%, actual cargo tonnage down 9-million U.S. tons!    California based direct selling company ViSalus is eliminating 87 jobs in Troy by March, officially because their sales have crashed (down 44% in 2013), but it might also have something to do with lawsuits accusing the company of being yet another pyramid scheme.

Minnesota: Sears Holdings shutting down the Dundas Kmart by April, 32 jobs lost.   In Minneapolis, popular Nye’s Polonaise Room shutting down in April because property developers want to build a 29 story apartment complex in its place.

New York:  American Rock Salt laid off 17 employees blaming the unusually warm winter weather in The Empire State.   Cumberland Packing officially issued a shutdown WARN for their Brooklyn Naval Yard Sweet-n-Low ops, 335 jobs lost between May and December!  What automotive industry recovery?  In Plattsburgh, British empire Canada based bus maker Prevost Car issued a shutdown WARN, at least 55 jobs lost in April.  In Schenectady, Granite Services lost their contract with GE Power, 41 jobs lost by March.  NYC based MTV laid off an undisclosed number of people, as reported by those who were laid off.

Ohio: Florida based upscale Ruth’s Chris Steak House shutting down their 17 years old Columbus location in February “due to changing marketplace dynamics”, possibly referring to increased rent.

Oklahoma:  Inola Public Schools laid off four people and literally turned down the lights due to lack of money.  Administrators warn of more cuts.

Texas:  Sears Holdings shutting down the Longview Kmart in April, 60 jobs lost.

Virginia:  After boosting production and bringing new jobs to the area in 2015, Poland based Korona Candles laid off an undisclosed number of people, and reduced hours for employees, claiming it’s a normal seasonal thing.

Washington DC: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the number of people finding work as information security analysts (cybersecurity) is steadily growing, yet it’s still not enough to meet demand.  Apparently the concept of cybersecurity is too vague, mysterious, or even sinister, for many people trying to figure out what type of career they’re interested in.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification

15 January 2016: The U.S. economy “…has gone the way of the Dodo Bird.” 

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.”