500...Herman Miller Inc. laying off last 500 of 1,000 employees cut because of economic downturn
by Julia Bauer | The Grand Rapids Press
Monday January 19, 2009, 4:31 PM
ZEELAND -- By the end of this week, 500 hourly employees at Herman Miller Inc. will be laid off, with most cuts coming from plants in Zeeland, Holland and Spring Lake.
A downturn in the office-furniture industry nationwide has injured West Michigan's companies across the board. This week, Herman Miller, the second largest office furniture company, wraps up cuts for 1,000 employees.
In November, the company had estimated up to 650 job eliminations and layoffs by this month, including an offer for enhanced buyouts. Those voluntary buyouts provided three weeks' pay for each year of service up to 39 weeks, plus benefits, and the offer drew a surprisingly large response.
During a mid-December conference call, the company announced a new total of 1,000 job cuts and layoffs, reflecting the higher than expected number taking buyouts.
By the end of this week, the last 500 hourly jobs of the 1,000 planned will end through voluntary or involuntary layoffs, Herman Miller spokeswoman Susan Koole said this morning.
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