Despite Layoffs, Change In Benefits, Mapes Piano String Company Not Closing
Alternative content
Despite Layoffs, Change In Benefits, Mapes Piano...
Despite Layoffs, Change In Benefits, Mapes Piano String Company Not Closing
Dana Carufel/WJHL
During the last two months, Mapes Piano String Company in Elizabethton has temporarily laid off many of its employees, but the company insists there are no plans to shut its doors permanently.
“Mapes is not planning to close,“ Mapes Operations Manager Mark Schaff said.
Mapes, which specializes in making musical strings and mechanical spring used in houses and cars, won’t confirm how many employees have been affected. However, Monday the company called back some of the employees it had previously laid off. Still, just this weekend, Mapes employees received a letter in the mail from the company. According to Schaff, the company made a “minor” change to a policy in the company’s employee handbook. Schaff says from here on out, if an employee is terminated, Mapes will not reimburse that person with their unused vacation time. So, is the company planning on permanently terminating any employees? Schaff says there have not been any terminations and says there are no plans for any in the near future.
“We are respecting our employees,“ Schaff said. “We miss them…when demand picks up, people will be brought back to work.“
Currently, Schaff says the demand remains high when its comes to strings for musical instruments. He says because of that demand, the plant remains in operation seven days a week. However, the lagging housing and auto markets have led to a bit of a sour note for Mapes’ other products, Schaff said. For that reason, the plant is operating with less staff. However, Schaff hopes the slow down is just temporary.
“I have a lot of great employees who are laid off,“ Schaff said. “We miss them…I don’t have a crystal ball, but we’re trying not to close.“
Schaff would not say how many people have been affected by recent layoffs at Mapes. At its peak in 2001, he says the Elizabethton business employed roughly 200 people.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
This has not been just for the last few months. Mapes has been cutting benefits for a long time. also the layoffs has been going on for a long time too. Mapes has lied to and slapped the hands that feed them for a long time. What goes around comes around….
Unfortunately the company does have that right. Although to me it is poor business practice. I did contact the Labor Board and they are within their rights as a company to do so. It is up to an individual company to decide whether they do or do not offer any benefits to their employees and can eliminate any benefit at their discretion. You could obtain an attorney and sue them but then you would be out that money too.
I know it is time already earned…trust me…but there are within their legal rights and I would feel confident in saying that we will see much more of the same.
Sorry but that is not correct. They have the right to take it away unfortunately. I contacted the labor board and they do not cover benefits. The employer has the right to give or take away benefits as they see fit. You could hire an attorney and sue the company but you would end up out more that way. It is just a no win situation and instead of cutting the main spending of the company they are going to the ones that make the company successful and taking things away. Most companies have changed their policies to not pay out vacation time if you quit or are terminated, another words, if you plan on quitting your job, take your vacation time (if they have let you keep it) before you give your notice. It is a shame that companies have the rights to do this but they do and are.
From what I understand, vacation time is past time earned and they cannot take that away!! If they fire you they have to pay you what they owe you. Check with the unemployment office before quoting me on this, but that is what I was told and it makes sense to me….PAST TIME EARNED.
I agree completely. What I don’t understand is how that is saving the company money. I am an hourly management employee, I would get the same pay if I worked that time..right? So, by taking away that time off it just makes me disgruntled and less productive, so they are losing money.
How nice for a company to take away your vacation days that you have already earned. People work for so very little the way it is, and then to have vacation time taken away???? That is not right. If things are so bad that they have to do that..why not have management give back some of their compensation?
Alot of compnanies have started making changes to their policies and procedures. At my employer that took away our already earned vacation days and pto time to somehow save the company money. They made the changes effective December 1st and I had my PTO time scheduled the week before Christmas and they just took it away.
Advertisement