Ricoh USA Cutting Jobs at Houston Call Centre

Originally published by Houston Business Journal

 Ricoh USA will be cutting 150 jobs at its call center located in Houston, Texas.

According to the Houston Business Journal, a letter from Ricoh to the Texas Workforce Commission is said to have contained the notice confirming that jobs at the companies call center location would be affected.

The letter is said to have stated, “the job cuts are expected to be effective March 4, 2018, according to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act letter. The affected employees are not represented by a collective bargaining agent, and the company does not allow bumping rights, so workers with more seniority cannot take jobs from those with less seniority … However, personnel are not precluded from seeking other employment within the company,” the letter states.

The letter also cited that the company’s “consolidation of business functions” is the reason why the shut down is being actioned.

“Ricoh USA Inc. recently made changes to its customer administration structure as part of our ongoing commitment to streamline processes and deliver exceptional customer service,” Jennifer Lyons, senior manager of public relations, said in an emailed statement.

Lyons said that the Houston facility will remain open and that Ricoh has other locations in Houston as well. Throughout the United States, Ricoh employs more than 20,000 people, so that the Houston cuts represent less than 1 percent of its workforce, Lyons noted.