YORK COUNTY, Pa. — A warehouse in East Manchester Township will soon be cleared out.
Late last week, Assurant notified employees and state officials it plans to shut down operations in York County. The company provides business support, protection products and insurance.
A WARN notice submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry shows the company is letting go of 442 employees across two buildings.
Assurant described the reason for the closure in a statement to FOX43, saying in part: "As part of our broader strategy to drive operational excellence and efficiency as well as to support emerging client needs, we have decided to consolidate our Device Care Center operations from three locations to two sites, as well as to locate operations closer to our clients' primary hubs. As a result, we will be closing our Device Care Center in York."
"It's always incredibly unfortunate when we get news like this," said Kevin Schreiber, President of York County Economic Alliance.
Schreiber said while this is a difficult time for families, there are plenty of jobs available in the region.
"Our hope is that through our efforts, through other organizations and support services in the community, in coordination with Assurant itself, we will be able to work with the individuals impacted," he said. "Hopefully this is just a minor disruption for them and we can get them into full employment."
Assurant praised the hard work of its staff, saying: "We're very proud of the dedication demonstrated by our York employees who have served our clients over the last 24 years, and we thank them for their years of service."
Assurant said it's offering severance packages to affected employees, saying some will also be able to apply for other jobs within the company.
The company did not specify where those job opportunities are located or how many will be available.
The first round of layoffs is expected in early January. Assurant's two York County facilities will be shut down by the end of March.