The newest announcement comes from Chase Corp., which plans on shutting down its Oxford facility at 24 Dana Road and laying off 72 employees.
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Between two manufacturers and one major health care provider, more than 300 employees in Central Massachusetts will receive pink slips by the end of the calendar year as their companies are closing up operations.
The newest of the layoff announcements comes from Chase Corp., which manufactures protective materials. The company employs approximately 800 people and is headquartered in Westwood.
The company is planning on shutting down its Oxford facility at 24 Dana Road and laying off 72 employees, according to a June 1 letter Chase sent to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
The Chase plant will be closed in phases by product line, with a complete shutdown by Dec. 31. None of the employees are represented by a union.
Officials at Chase Corp. could not be reached for comment. The company was first established in 1946 and has facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia.
The layoff data comes from Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notices filed since the start of June. The WARN Act requires companies with 50 or more employees to report planned layoffs to the state government at least 60 days before layoffs or a company closure take place.
The largest of the planned layoffs will take place at the closing Community Healthlink, an affiliate of UMass Memorial Health in Worcester. CHL plans to layoff 127 workers between its Webster, Worcester, and Leominster locations before the end of July.
These numbers have been rising in the weeks since CHL first confirmed its impending closure in April. The last update in May had CHL laying off 84 employees, before that number rose to 127 on Thursday.
Community Healthlink said in a statement it is engaging in bargaining with the union SEIU Local 509, which represents some of its employees. The bargaining has included discussions about temporary assignments and retention incentives.
“During this process, CHL’s priority is to ensure that our clients and all individuals seeking care across Central Massachusetts continue to receive high-quality behavioral health services,” Kristy Lee, UMass Memorial media and public Relations manager, wrote in a statement to WBJ. “We are also committed to supporting caregivers impacted by these changes by helping them identify other open positions within the UMass Memorial Health system and collaborating with our community partners on any potential employment opportunities.”
The second-largest planned layoff in the region is slated for Florida-based manufacturer and life sciences firm Jabil, which is closing its Clinton facility. Jabil plans to lay off 103 employees by Dec. 1. The company said in March it planned to close the facility but didn’t detail how many workers would be impacted.
The layoff decision came after a review of its manufacturing footprint, business demand, and long-term strategic needs.
“This announcement is in no way a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our employees,” Jabil wrote in an unsigned statement. “We are actively working to provide impacted employees with transfer opportunities to Jabil’s facility in Devens and other U.S. locations. We are committed to supporting employees who will not transfer with severance benefits and career outplacement assistance. They are also encouraged to apply for open positions with the company. ”
These layoffs come as inflation and the rising cost of living has captured much of the public’s attention. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics most recent data, energy prices were up 17.9% in April from a year prior. Overall inflation, without energy, was up 2.8%. The Consumer Price Index was up 3.8%. Updated figures are expected to be released on Wednesday.
According to the state’s Department of Economic Research, unemployment in Worcester County is 4.2%, lower than the state level of 4.7%.
Monica Benevides is a correspondent for Worcester Business Journal.
