http://www.whas11.com/news/Lou-company-laying-off-hundreds-of-employees-160055345.html Lou. company laying off hundreds of employees by WHAS11 WHAS11.com Posted on June 22, 2012 at 6:25 PM
Updated today at 7:07 PM LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- First Data has announced they're laying off 344 employees from their Durett Lane office near the Louisville Airport. The company was not specific about the reason for the layoffs saying the cutbacks are part of "ongoing efforts to run the most efficient and cost-effective business operations."
Based out of Atlanta, First Data handles credit and gift card processing for merchants. The company expanded to Louisville in 2009 partnering with Bank of America. As part of the agreement First Data took on about 600 Bank of America employees. However the newly announced 344 job cuts are the second since 2009. In 2011 First Data laid off 157 Louisville workers. From the roughly 600 workers they took on in 2009, only about 160 are expected to remain at the end of the year.
The layed off employees told us off camera that they had to sign agreements not to speak to the media as part of their severance agreement. The reactions of those we spoke with ranged from accepting to angry. The layoffs did not however come as a complete surprise. First Data and some employees confirm that in 2009, the company told them their jobs would eventually be phased out. The first of the 344 to be let go this year will be let go July 20, the others will be let go in August 20 and September.
