Walgreens to close West Chester call center, layoff 121

Walgreens will begin this month laying off 121 workers at a call center in West Chester Twp.

The pharmacy company plans to permanently close the West Chester Twp. center, which is located at 9025 Center Pointe Drive and handles inquires about Medicare Part B. The company said it will complete layoffs by Oct. 31, according to its filing with the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.

Walgreens first moved into the multi-tenant office complex in 2006. The company filed the layoff notice to the state June 13.

When large layoffs occur, such as the one happening in West Chester Twp., the state will typically send a team of county and state employees to assist in providing job training as well as giving information about job and unemployment assistance, according to Ben Johnson, spokesman for the Department of Jobs and Family Services.

Those employees, according to the filing, will not be able to displace other workers in the company. Ninety of those who will be laid off are customer service representatives working at the center.

Walgreens officials were not immediately available for comment Tuesday.

The Union Center area of West Chester Twp., where the call center sits, has rarely had a vacant building during the last year, said Barb Wilson, the director of marketing for the township.

“There’s always demand for Class A office space in West Chester,” Wilson said.

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