INSIDE: Governor reflects on U.N. job, state crises and lessons in diplomacy A3 THE CLARENDON SUN Clarendon 1 School Board members are sworn in A6 THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2017 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents APEX tools to lay off 170 at Sumter plant Spokesperson: Production will end by March 31 BY JIM HILLEY have yet received the notification.
[email protected] Rhoads was referring to the Worker Adjust- ment and Retraining Notification Act, a federal APEX Tool Group will cease production of labor law that requires companies that are lay- its Armstrong and Allen lines of hand tools, a ing off more than 100 workers to give the work- move that will end employment for 170 work- ers 60-days advance notification. ers at its Sumter plant, said APEX Communi- Rhoads said the positions will be eliminated cations Director Kelly Rhoads. by March 31 as the production of the Arm- “This is a difficult announcement for us and strong and Allen tool lines ramps down. our associates,“ Rhoads said. “We can confirm Full-time associates are being offered sever- we are reducing employment there (in Sumter) ance benefits and employment assistance by 170 positions. counselors have been made available, she She said production of the Allen and Arm- said. strong lines of hand tools will end by March 31. “We are partnering with state and local Rhoads said no reductions are planned at agencies to provide job search resources,” any other of the company’s facilities. Rhoads said. “We are already speaking with “We have given people the WARN notifica- the SC Rapid Response team, which assists SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO tion that gives people 60 days prior to their last with workforce resources.” Production of Apex Tool Group’s Armstrong and Allen lines of hand day of work,” she said.