On December 3, Simmons Animal Nutrition announced plans to close its facility in Milan, Missouri, within the next 60 days. A law firm is investigating whether Simmons violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.
The closure will affect approximately 155 employees working at the Milan location. Simmons stated that it is committed to providing comprehensive support packages to these individuals, including retention pay and assistance in finding new employment opportunities.
“This decision demonstrates our commitment to building a foundation for sustainable growth,” said Derek Baucom, president of Simmons Animal Nutrition, in the announcement. “By consolidating resources and streamlining operations, we are positioning the business to operate more efficiently and deliver greater value. As a company committed to putting people first, this was a difficult decision that we did not take lightly. We are grateful to our Milan team members and focused on supporting them in the coming weeks.”
Simmons Animal Nutrition operates multiple production facilities in the Midwest and Northeast. Simmons will work with the Milan community as it explores options for the sale of the property following its closure next year.
Potential legal action against Simmons
In relation to this closure, Strauss Borrelli announced that the law firm is investigating Simmons Foods, Inc. The law firm is investigating whether Simmons violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, a federal law that generally requires certain employers to provide employees with at least 60 days’ advance written notice before a plant closing or mass layoff takes effect. If the WARN Act’s requirements were not met, affected Simmons Animal Nutrition employees could be entitled to up to 60 days of pay and benefits.
The WARN Act is a federal law passed in 1988 that requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide a 60-day advance notice of certain significant layoffs or plant closings. This notice is intended to give workers and their families time to prepare for job loss, seek new employment and pursue training or retraining opportunities. In general, employees must receive a WARN Act notice if they are laid off, or if their hours are reduced by 50% or more in any six months, because of a plant closing or mass layoff.
