AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT JOHNSON & JOHNSON (10/02/24)

Stephen Levine April 7, 2021

Am I Next? Johnson & Johnson relocating divisions.

OCTOBER 2, 2024 — 231 NEW JERSEY EMPLOYEES

The company announced plans to lay off 231 employees in New Brunswick, New Jersey effective December 27, 2024.

A company spokesperson noted, “Johnson & Johnson is tackling the world’s toughest health challenges through science and technology-driven innovation. To continue to meet the needs of patients around the world today and for years to come, we must adapt and evolve our businesses in the midst of a complex and rapidly changing external environment. Guided by our credo, we will support employees who are affected by these changes, helping them explore new options within the company and providing access to career services and related support.”

MARCH 6, 2023 — 1,000+ EMPLOYEES TARGETED FOR LAYOFFS

The company has announced a restructuring of its MedTech business following a “comprehensive review” of its portfolio. The restructuring is expected to impact 1000+ employees as operations are combined to create operational efficiencies.

OCTOBER 21, 2022 — 64 EMPLOYEES IN NEW YORK

The company has announced plans to lay off 64 employees in its Johnson & Johnson Services office in Manhattan in phases between January 13, 2023, and January 26, 2023.

NOVEMBER 13, 2021 — J&J TO SPLIT INTO 2 COMPANIES WITH UNKNOWN CONSEQUENCES TO EMPLOYEES

The company has announced that it will split into two publicly traded companies that “will make each business more nimble in adapting to their respective markets. It also allows for a more precise allocation of capital.”

The company said it will separate its consumer health business segment that sells Band-Aids, Listerine, and over-the-counter medicines like Tylenol from its pharmaceutical and medical device business.

According to J&J CEO Alex Gorsky, “We’ve seen a significant evolution in these markets, particularly on the consumer side,”

The segment selling prescription drugs and medical devices — J&J’s two largest businesses — will keep the Johnson & Johnson name. Its products include the cancer treatment Darzalex, a COVID-19 vaccine, and medical devices for orthopedics and surgery.

The new consumer health company has yet to be named. It will house brands including Neutrogena, Aveeno, and the iconic Band-Aids, which a company employee created more than 100 years ago.

APRIL 7, 2021 — Original post…

New Brunswick, New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnso, a developer of medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer products, has announced that it will be permanently closing its South San Francisco, California multi-division offices and relocating some functions to Titusville, New Jersey.

The closure will affect 73 employees with Actelion Pharmaceuticals US Inc. (36 employees including marketing, administrative and medical, and scientific affairs positions); Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc.(5 employees); Janssen Scientific Affairs LLC (11 employees); Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. (8 employees); Johnson & Johnson International (6 employees); Johnson & Johnson Services Inc. (3 employees); Janssen Global Services Inc. (2 employees); and Johnson & Johnson 2 employees).

According to a company statement, "We are relocating our U.S. Pulmonary Hypertension home office from San Francisco, CA to Titusville, New Jersey to integrate our Pulmonary Hypertension business with the rest of our Janssen therapeutic areas, foster closer collaboration, drive growth and innovation, and broaden career opportunities for our team members. We are not eliminating any jobs as part of this transition. All employees whose roles are in scope have the option to relocate, and Janssen will provide assistance and cover relocation costs for employees who choose to move to the East Coast.”

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT VIATRIS (08/13/22)

Stephen Levine December 24, 2020

Am I Next? Major restructuring at Viatris.

AUGUST 13, 2022 — MAJOR FACILITY CLOSURES AND LAYOFFS AHEAD

In a major announcement, “The company expects to optimize its commercial capabilities and enabling functions, and close, downsize or divest up to 15 manufacturing facilities globally that are deemed to be no longer viable either due to surplus capacity, challenging market dynamics or a shift in its product portfolio toward more complex products.”

“As a result, Viatris expects that up to 20% of its global workforce of approximately 45,000 may be impacted upon completion of the restructuring initiative. The company will maintain an extensive overall employee base and global manufacturing network that aligns with its go-forward operations.”

Viatris CEO Michael Goettler said, "Viatris has a tremendous opportunity to impact healthcare in a sustainable way through a focus on access and empowering patients worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life. The actions we are announcing today are consistent with our commitment to optimally design our new company to operate efficiently. This initiative is part of Viatris' roadmap to ensure we can maximize long-term value creation for shareholders and for all stakeholders, including the patients and customers we serve."
Viatris president Rajiv Malik said, "After more than a decade of building a robust global platform, today we are taking the natural next step as we shape a new company that we believe can meet the needs of patients and customers in this evolving healthcare landscape. As we do so, we are intently focused on ensuring supply continuity within the markets we serve, which includes continuing our ongoing engagement with health authorities and customers to ensure patients' needs are met."

JUNE 3, 2021 — PLANT SHUTDOWN IN MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA WITH MASS LAYOFFS

The company has announced that it will be shutting down its Chestnut Ridge oral-dose manufacturing facility in Morgantown, West Virginia commencing on July 31, 2021. The shutdown will impact 1,431 employees including 764 union workers and 482 non-union workers. Some employees will remain employed for winddown activities until March 2022.

The closure is part of a $1 billion cost-cutting program previously announced.

“According to a company statement, Viatris intends to close down manufacturing operations at this facility by mid-2021. However, there will be no immediate employee reductions at the site. It is anticipated that the majority of production will continue for the next seven months, ending no later than July 31, 2021, and that the majority of employees impacted will remain employed until that time when they will be offered comprehensive separation packages.”

“Following the closure, Viatris will still maintain a significant workforce in Morgantown, including at its Research and Development Center, one of the company’s two global centers of excellence for R&D. This Center is focused on delivering world-class scientific innovation, technology, and research. The team at this facility has played a critical role in some of the company’s most important scientific achievements and will continue to do so as Viatris expands its pipeline of complex medicines. Certain other key business and administrative support functions will also continue to operate within Morgantown.”

DECEMBER 24, 2020 — Orignal post…

Canonsburg, Pennsylvania-based Viatris, a new pharmaceutical company formed from the integration of Mylan N.V. and Pfizer Inc.'s Upjohn business, has announced further details on its global multi-year restructuring initiative that will impact an estimated 20% of the combined company's workforce as it integrates companies and removes redundant positions and inefficiencies in the management and production operations. The company claims that it may need to either close, downsize or divest up to 15 facilities to achieve planned cost synergies. Approximately 9,000 employees may be targeted company-wide.

One of the companies immediate targets is located in Morgantown, West Virginia where layoffs are underway.

According to Viatris CEO Michael Goettler, "Viatris has a tremendous opportunity to impact healthcare in a sustainable way through a focus on access and empowering patients worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life. The actions we are announcing today are consistent with our commitment to optimally design our new company to operate efficiently. This initiative is part of Viatris' roadmap to ensure we can maximize long-term value creation for shareholders and for all stakeholders, including the patients and customers we serve."

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT OPTUM RX (11/04/25)

Stephen Levine December 2, 2020

Am I Next? Optum Rx closing Las Vegas facility.

NOVEMBER 4, 2025 — 572 EMPLOYEES IN NEW JERSEY

The company is planning to lay off 572 employees, including 390 Optum Care employees, 122 Optum Medical Care employees, 49 Optum Services employees, and 11 employees at Optum Select Management, between February and March 2026.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2024 — 160 EMPLOYEES IN NEW JERSEY

The company has announced the planned layoff of 160 employees between December 11, 2024, and January 22, 202.

According to a company spokesperson, "We continually review the capabilities and services we offer to meet the growing and evolving needs of our businesses and the people we serve. As always, we will support affected team members with job placement resources and seek to deploy them where possible to any open roles within the company."

JULY 30, 2024 — 524 EMPLOYEES IN CALIFORNIA

Optum has announced that it will lay off 524 California employees, impacting urgent care locations, primary and specialty care clinics, and infusion centers, as well as staff positions, including 160 remote employees.

The cuts will take place in eight phases starting in the fall of 2024 year and continuing into early 2025.

A company spokesperson noted, “We continually review the capabilities and services we offer to meet the growing and evolving needs of our businesses and the people we serve. As always, we will support affected team members with job placement resources and seek to deploy them where possible to any open roles within the company.”

MAY 20, 2024 — TOLEDO, OHIO CLOSURE WITH LAYOFFS

Optum has announced that it is closing its Toledo, Ohio, facility and laying off 129 in three phases from July 15, 2024, to September 6, 2024. Positions include senior software engineers, senior technology product managers, associate business systems analysts, and associate business operations coordinators.

This follows April’s layoffs of 114 employees in Brentwood, Tennessee, and remote locations working in its naviHealth unit, which manages post-acute healthcare services.

According to a company spokesperson, “We are committed to making healthcare more affordable for our customers and the consumers we serve. As part of that commitment, we regularly review our products, services, staffing requirements and real estate needs to ensure they align with our evolving business to best meet the needs of our customers while we operate as effectively and efficiently as possible."

DECEMBER 12, 2021 — WARNING LAYOFFS AHEAD

Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group, America's largest healthcare benefits manager will acquire Nashville, Tennessee-based Change Healthcare, a provider of technology, data analytics, and software for revenue and payment cycle management and clinical information exchange solutions for the healthcare industry, by the early part of 2022.

Employees associated with Optum and ChangeHealthcare’s data analytics group should expect some level of restructuring, consolidation, and the elimination of redundancies leading to layoffs.

DECEMBER 2, 2020 — Original post…

Irvine, California Optum RX, a pharmacy services company, has announced that the company will be permanently closing its Las Vegas, Nevada pharmacy facility and laying off 161 employees, 135 layoffs commencing December 24, 2020; 22 on January 6, 2021; and the remainder on January 13, 2021.

According to a company spokesperson, "We do not take these decisions lightly. All affected employees will receive no less than 60 days' compensation and benefits from the date on which the employees receive notice of their employment loss. In addition, the company is offering severance as well as career outplacement services to all affected employees."