MOMENCE — A North Carolina-based book distributor has laid off 318 Illinois workers after announcing the closure of its Momence facility.
Baker & Taylor, LLC reported the layoffs as part of the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, also known as the WARN Act. The company laid off the workers on Oct. 6.
The library wholesaler announced plans to shut down operations at an Oct. 6 town hall meeting and laid off a total of 520 employees. The layoffs came after the book publisher and distributor ReaderLink called off a proposed acquisition of Baker & Taylor late last month.
Chicago-based class action law firm Strauss Borrelli PLLC is investigating Baker & Taylor for a possible violation of the WARN Act. The federal law requires certain employers to notify their employees, in writing, at least 60 days before a plant closing or mass layoff takes effect.
Baker & Taylor did not respond to telephone and email messages.
