DANVILLE, Va. – In less than two months, the roughly 300 employees at Telvista's call center in Danville will be out of a job.
On Friday, the company emailed a letter to Danville's mayor, notifying him that the call center will close permanently March 7.
The mayor is out of town this week, but Vice Mayor Alonzo Jones said the decision is disappointing, especially right now.
"Going into the new year, the first of the new year, a lot of people make resolutions about what they want to do throughout the year. We all do. Probably one of those resolutions involves financing; maybe getting a new car, buying a new home," Jones said.
"Now, to hear that these 300 and some workers, our citizens, our brothers and sisters, (are) about to lose their jobs. It's very shocking."
On Monday, 10 News reached out to Telvista for comment but did not get a response.
In last week's letter, however, the company's human resources vice president said the company plans to offer severance benefits and transition programs to employees:
This notice is to inform the City of Danville that Telvista, Inc. (the "Company") will be
closing the Company call center located at 119 Cane Creek Blvd., Danville, VA 24540.
The Company will cease operations and release its approximately three hundred (300)
employees on March 7, 2018 (the "Termination Date").
Under the exception to WARN for unexpected business circumstances, the Company may be forced to release employees prior to the Termination Date if work no longer exists for them.
This action is expected to be permanent. None of the affected employees are represented
by a union and no "bumping rights" exist.
Subject to voluntarily resignations or terminations for cause occurring before the
Termination Date, the Company intends to offer severance benefits and transition
programs to affected employees.
It is our hope that these programs will lessen the impact of this closure on individual employees and on the community as a whole.
Jones is now asking any local organizations that hold job fairs throughout the year to hold a job fair before the employees get laid off.
"If we can, lets move those job fairs up. Give these people an opportunity. Keep them right here in Danville, Virginia," Jones said.
Last August, Telvista announced that 222 employees would be laid off from the Danville facility due to an unexpected reduction in one its customer's business needs, according to the company.