Walmart has announced it will close another store, impacting 105 workers. This marks the seventh location the country's largest grocery chain has shut down this year.
Milwaukee Walmart Set to Close Doors
A Walmart store in Milwaukee is set to shut down completely, affecting over 100 employees at the site.
The company has notified the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development that it will close its store at 7025 West Main Street. The closure will impact 105 associates working at this location.
According to company officials, the entire facility will cease operations, and the store will officially close to the public on May 17.
As of July 26, 2024, employees at the closing Milwaukee Walmart who do not secure other positions within the company will be laid off permanently.
According to a company letter, all affected workers are encouraged to apply for jobs at different Walmart locations, Sam's Clubs, or other company facilities during a 90-day period in which they will continue to be paid. However, the employment separations are expected to be permanent.
The letter also notes that the company is offering various support options to assist the associates during this transition.
Walmart is providing multiple support resources to aid employees in this transition. These include access to the Associate Support Center, where staff can answer questions about company policies and procedures for leaving the company.
Additionally, employees will continue to have access to Walmart's career portal, benefits information, and a detailed FAQ on internal intranet sites.
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The company also offers support services through Lyra and severance pay, contingent on eligibility, after the job search period ends.
However, employees who are laid off do not have the right to displace others (bumping rights) or to be recalled to their old jobs.
Despite the recent closure, Walmart maintains 11 other stores in Milwaukee, ensuring that shoppers have nearby options for their needs. The company has also urged employees affected by the closure to seek positions at other Walmart and Sam's Club locations.
Walmart Closures Span Multiple States
This year, the first two Walmart closures occurred in San Diego County, California. On February 9, the stores on Imperial Avenue in San Diego and 605 Fletcher Parkway in El Cajon ceased operations permanently.
Walmart indicated that these stores did not achieve the expected financial results. Meanwhile, some shoppers on social media have attributed the closures to ongoing issues with crime and shoplifting at these locations.
Subsequent closures included a store in Columbus, Ohio, which shut its doors on February 16, and the West Covina store in California, which closed on March 29.
On April 5, another Walmart, this time in Towson, Maryland, just outside Baltimore, also closed. The series of closures continued in California, with the Neighborhood Market in Granite Bay shutting down on April 12.
This closure highlights the ongoing struggles of physical stores as they compete with online retailers and adapt to shifting consumer preferences. Walmart's decision to close stores is part of a larger trend in the retail sector, where businesses are streamlining their operations to fit the evolving market landscape better.
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