El Pasoans Worried As Layoff Rumors Fly

by ABC-7 Reporter Darren Hunt

EL PASO, Texas — With job losses nationwide at a 14-year high, rumors of layoffs are running rampant at a lot of local companies, and many El Pasoans are preparing for the worst.

Whether it’s your brother or sister or cousin or yourself, just about every family has someone right now that’s worried about losing their job.

So what should you do to make sure you don’t get caught up in the cuts?

Twenty-eight-year-old Melissa Arriola was recently laid off from a job with the city.

“They didn’t give me a reason and they laid off a bunch of us,” she said.

Thirty-eight-year-old Jaime Contreras was just let go from a department store. And due to the economy, both have heard more layoffs are looming.

“It’s hard. You get late on all your bills, payments. Disconnecting this, disconnecting that,” Contreras said.

Alfonso Espinosa said there are a lot of rumors about different companies closing stores or laying people off.

He said there are several things you should do if you hear a layoff rumor.

First, if possible, verify the rumor. Go to your boss and ask him or her if cuts are coming and if you are involved. Second, try to make yourself indispensable by showing your value. Third, don’t be a high maintenance employee — many times complainers are the first to go. Fourth, be prepared to find a job. Update your resume and be prepared to start looking for jobs.

“Do the best that you can, maintain your flexibility, be willing to work maybe a little extra. And if you think it may be you, make sure your resume is ready to go,” Espinosa said.

If you don’t feel right approaching management about rumors, you can call Workforce Solutions at887-2000 and they may try to verify the rumor for you.