Global life sciences and healthcare company Labcorp is set to close a Massachusetts facility and lay off more than 90 employees as a result, according to state officials.
Labcorp filed a public Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act Notification (WARN) this month, stating it would shutter its nonclinical facility in Bedford.
The company will begin laying off workers at the lab this spring, executive Shawn Heidel wrote in a letter to the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
Labcorp currently employs nearly 70,000 people, conducts research and testing at dozens of laboratories worldwide, and operates more than 2,200 patient service centers across the U.S.
Here’s what to know about the Bedford layoffs.
Scientist using microscope in laboratory.
What is Labcorp? Where is it located?
Labcorp – headquartered in North Carolina – provides diagnostic services for hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and researchers. It also supports drug development and testing for biopharmaceutical companies worldwide, according to its website.
The company was created in 1995 when National Health Laboratories and Roche Biomedical Laboratories merged. Since then, Labcorp has acquired several labs and companies.
During the 2020 pandemic, Labcorp was the first commercial laboratory to offer an FDA-authorized PCR test for COVID-19, its website said.
Heidel confirmed the closure of the company’s pre-clinical medical device testing facility at 15 Wiggins Ave. in Bedford, Massachusetts.
How many employees are being laid off?
In total, 94 out of the 103 employees from the closing Bedford facility will be laid off, according to the WARN notice.
The affected workers include animal caretakers and technicians, research assistants, accounting specialists, and a veterinarian.
No bumping rights will be granted to any employees, Heidel said in the letter.
The few employees not eliminated will be reassigned to remote positions or nearby facilities once the Bedford plant closes, Heidel said.
When will the Lapcorp employees be laid off?
The layoffs are slated to begin on March 9 and finish by January 14, 2027, according to the WARN notice. The job eliminations will occur in several phases.
Labcorp did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
What is a WARN notice?
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, passed in 1988, ensures workers have ample time to prepare for job transitions.
A WARN filing is required when a worksite closing or mass layoffs affect at least 50 employees and a third of the site’s total workforce.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Labcorp is set to close a MA facility, lay off dozens of workers
