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Kohler Co. laying off 50

The Capital Times  —  10/16/2008 9:40 am

The housing slump is hitting the Kohler Co.

The kitchen and bath fixture maker announced Tuesday it is laying off 50 employees, the majority coming from the real estate and hospitality group.

Kohler Co. is the largest employer in Sheboygan County with more than 7,500 employees, so the layoff is affecting less than 1 percent of the workforce, the Sheboygan Press reported Tuesday.

The layoffs include 12 production and 38 administrative positions. The production workers laid off are from the faucet division, while the administrative layoffs are spread among the real estate and hospitality, engine and plumbing divisions.

The layoffs are permanent and make up the largest group of employees losing their jobs at the company since 2007, when 160 permanent and 30 temporary workers lost their jobs.

The laid-off employees are eligible for severance packages, unemployment insurance and outplacement assistance services.

The Capital Times  —  10/16/2008 9:40 am