Hy-Vee employees report layoffs in the company. People started contacting KCCI on Monday and reported the cuts. KCCI has repeatedly tried to confirm the layoffs with Hy-Vee, but the West Des Moines-based company has shared few details. Employees tell KCCI that most of the cuts were in the marketing and information technology departments, both remote and in the “Helpful Smiles Technology” center in Grimes. “While we are not sure what communications you are receiving or what is being questioned, Hy-Vee is a strong and vibrant company,” Tina Potthoff, Senior Vice President of Communications at Hy-Vee, told KCCI in a written statement. Tuesday. “Like any business, our employees need ebb and flow to match our business. In the midst of COVID-19, we had to significantly increase our projects across our business. With these projects launched, we need to ensure that we stay focused on our stores and deliver the best value and quality to our customers. ” Potthoff went on to say that Hy-Vee still employs in the company’s office, retail offices and expands its footprint in the Des Moines metro and surrounding areas. Hy-Vee has about 93,000 employees across the company, according to Potthoff. Two employees who say they were released tell KCCI that they were notified of a meeting Monday morning and were released during that meeting shortly after. One says he was told the company is restructuring, the other says he was told his position was no longer necessary. At least one employee told KCCI that he was nearly fired at a one-on-one meeting Monday. When Hy-Vee was asked several times for more information about the cuts, Hy-Vee gave the above statement on Tuesday afternoon, but no further details. KCCI has contacted Hy-Vee again twice Wednesday afternoon for a comment, but has not heard back. KCCI also sought to confirm layoffs through Iowa Workforce Development. The Iowa Layoff Notification Law requires employers to give a 30-day notice if there is a permanent or temporary shutdown or a mass layoff that affects 25 or more employees for a period of six months or more. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act is a federal law that requires companies to give a 60-day notice when a closure affects at least 50 or more employees. It also requires notification when a mass layoff affects 500 or more employees or 33% of a company’s workforce. It is unclear whether Hy-Vee was required to notify the government of any of these cuts because the number of employees affected has not been made public. The IWD states that any available public information, including dismissal notices, is published on its website. Hy-Vee is not on the list. The last time Hy-Vee reported an announcement was in May 2020, when it closed an Urbandale fulfillment center. Three hundred and sixty-eight employees were released at that time.
Hy-Vee employees report layoffs in the company. People started contacting KCCI on Monday and reported the cuts. KCCI has repeatedly tried to confirm the layoffs with Hy-Vee, but the West Des Moines-based company has shared few details.
Employees tell KCCI that most of the cuts were in the marketing and information technology departments, both remote and in the “Helpful Smiles Technology” center in Grimes.
“While we are not sure what communications you are receiving or what is being questioned, Hy-Vee is a strong and vibrant company,” Tina Potthoff, Senior Vice President of Communications at Hy-Vee, told KCCI in a written statement. Tuesday. “Like any business, our employees need ebb and flow to match our business. In the midst of COVID-19, we had to significantly increase our projects across our business. With these projects launched, we must ensure that we remain focused on our stores and deliver the best value and quality to our customers. “
Potthoff went on to say that Hy-Vee still employs in the company’s office, retail locations and is expanding its footprint in the Des Moines metro and surrounding areas. Hy-Vee has about 93,000 employees across the company, according to Potthoff.
Two employees who say they have been released tell KCCI that they were notified of a meeting Monday morning and were released during that meeting shortly after. One says he was told the company is restructuring, the other says he was told his position was no longer necessary.
At least one employee told KCCI that he was nearly fired at a one-on-one meeting Monday.
When Hy-Vee was asked several times for more information about the cuts, Hy-Vee gave the above statement on Tuesday afternoon, but no further details. KCCI has contacted Hy-Vee again twice Wednesday afternoon for a comment, but has not heard back.
KCCI also sought to confirm layoffs through Iowa Workforce Development.
The Iowa Layoff Notification Law requires employers to give a 30-day notice if there is a permanent or temporary shutdown or a mass layoff that affects 25 or more employees for a period of six months or more.
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act is a federal law that requires companies to give a 60-day notice when a closure affects at least 50 or more employees. It also requires notification when a mass layoff affects 500 or more employees or 33% of a company’s workforce.
It is unclear whether Hy-Vee was required to notify the government of any of these cuts because the number of employees affected has not been made public.
The IWD states that any available public information, including notices of dismissal, is published on their website. Hy-Vee is not on the list.
The last time Hy-Vee reported a notification was in May 2020, when it closed an Urbandale compliance center. Three hundred and sixty-eight employees were released at that time.