AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT AMERICAN FREIGHT

Delaware, Ohio-based American Freight, a discount retailer selling furniture, mattresses, and home appliances, has announced its plans to permanently close its headquarters and lay off additional headquarters employees.

In this second round of layoffs, 62 HQ employees are targeted and will be laid off no later than February 3, 2025. The total number of impacted HQ employees now stands at 112 employees.

According to the company, the decision was driven by “sustained inflation and macroeconomic challenges.” The parent company, Franchise Group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on November 3, 2024. The company's 328 locations across 41 states will permanently close.

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. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible 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. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT HYZON MOTORS

Rochester, New York-based Hyzon Motors, an automotive company specializing in developing and manufacturing hydrogen fuel cell systems and zero-emission heavy-duty fuel cell electric vehicles, has announced plans to liquidate assets and lay off employees as it reaches the end of its cash runway.

According to an SEC filing, the company plans to bypass the Bankruptcy process and assign all assets to its creditors free of unsecured debt.

If no operator can be found to resurrect the company, the process will impact 360+ employees. If the Company cannot raise funds or find a buyer, the reduction in force is expected to be completed in February 2025.

According to the company's filing, “The reduction in force is primarily a result of the company’s inability to raise funding and the future uncertainty relating to the availability of government subsidies.”

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. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible 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. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT EDITAS MEDICINE

Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Editas Medicine, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies for rare diseases using CRISPR gene editing technology. has announced a 65% reduction of its workforce as a “critical pivot to optimize its cost structure.

A Cambridge-based biotechnology company announced Thursday its plans to lay off about 65% of its workforce over the next several months.

The reduction will impact 180 employees and follow a previous restructuring in 2023. The Company expects to substantially complete the Reduction by the end of June 2025.

According to President and Chief Executive Officer Gilmore O’Neill, “Two years ago, we laid out our strategy and objective to become a leader in in vivo programmable gene editing. Based on these advances, we are transitioning to a fully in vivo company."

"We want to extend our deepest appreciation to patients, investigators, clinical sites staff, and our employees who have shown tremendous dedication and commitment to developing a potentially transformational medicine like reni-cel. We also want to express specific gratitude to the patients in our clinical trials and their caregivers whose dedication to disease research for their community makes us even more committed to accelerating our efforts towards an in vivo program for sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.”

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. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. Just because something terrible 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. While many employees can read the writing on the wall, why do most assume it’s targeted at someone else? Are you now wondering, Am I Next?