NEWPORT, Tenn. — A Newport company said Tuesday it would temporarily lay off 119 workers because of historic flooding that swept through the community, putting much of its downtown area underwater and destroying structures.
Eastern Plating LLC filed an official WARN notice with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development and said all the layoffs were due to the flooding and Hurricane Helene. It said the company did not fully know how much damage the flooding caused, and so it was not certain about how long the layoffs would last.
The company, located at 371 Chemwood Drive, makes a variety of components used in products like cars, HVAC units, and household appliances. It said on its website that it has a 250,000-square-foot facility and has been in business for around 38 years. The facility is located near the Pigeon River, which rose to unprecedented levels during the floods.
The WARN Notice said the facility's workers were not represented by a collective bargaining agreement and did not have bumping rights, meaning they would not need to be moved to another position.
It also said a rapid response team with the East local Workforce Development Board would work with the workers and the employer to minimize the impact of the layoffs.
