BRUNSWICK, Maine — Boston-based company Wayfair announced Thursday it is laying off 550 employees, or 3% of its global workforce, including more than 50 employees at its Brunswick location.
According to NEWS CENTER Maine's partners at the Portland Press Herald, company officials said it's part of a mass restructuring of the company that included more than 500 layoffs worldwide. The Boston Globe says 350 employees were laid off in Boston.
The company, which has a total of 17,000 employees worldwide, said in a statement to The Associated Press that it continually evaluates "the needs of the business," and that it's still hiring for other roles.
Officials told NEWS CENTER Maine the Brunswick location let go of 55 Brunswick employees "who work on specialized teams led out of Boston." The company is the largest employer at Brunswick Landing, which is the site of the former Brunswick Naval Air Station.
Maine Sen. Brownie Carson released a statement Thursday following the news, saying, "My heart is with the hardworking Mainers who just found out they are without a job. Any layoff, especially something so abrupt, can be devastating to individual employees, their families, and our community at large. I am dedicated to working closely with my colleagues in the Legislature, as well as the Department of Labor, to do all I can to make sure our neighbors have the support they need and are able to land on their feet."
Maine Rep. Mattie Daughtry also said Wayfair had become one of the largest employers in the Brunswick community, and "a draw to many young families looking for a good job and place to live."
Both Rep. Daughtry and Sen. Carson say they will be reaching out to the Department of Labor, and are also offering their help to those who have been affected by the layoffs.
The statement encourages Wayfair employees to contact the Senate Majority Office at Brownie.Carson@legislature.maine.gov or 207-287-1515 or the House Majority Office at Mattie.Daughtry@legislature.maine.gov or 207-287-1430 for assistance with the Department of Labor during this tough transition.
