TUKWILA, Wash. — Sixty-seven workers at the Nordstrom Quality Center in Tukwila will be laid off, according to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification announcement.
In a statement from Nordstrom, the company said it plans to move operations to the Midwest Fulfillment Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa after the lease expires in their current building early next year.
Nordstrom has its roots in Seattle, with its headquarters currently located in the downtown area.
The announcement states layoffs are expected to begin on Feb. 1, 2024.
According to the company, the Nordstrom Quality Center is responsible for receiving and processing returns and damaged products. Other services the center is involved in include the single-shoe and split-shoe programs, which allow shoppers to buy selected single shoes priced at $26 each and a pair of shoes in two different sizes, respectively. Operations at the center also include the gift-with-purchase program.
These services will continue to be offered to customers, as Nordstrom stated they are an "important differentiator" for the company.
There are efforts to move affected workers to other parts of the company, according to the company's statement.
"We recognize the impact these changes have on our [Nordstrom Quality Center] team members and are committed to taking care of our people as we work through this transition," the company wrote in the statement, "We are working to place as many of our Tukwila-based [Nordstrom Quality Center] team members as possible in other areas of our business."
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires large companies with 100 or more employees to notify workers at least 60 days prior to layoffs or business closures.
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