State Farm shuttering 2 Washington state call centers

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) - State Farm is closing its two call centers in Tacoma this year, putting as many as 800 people out of work as it moves some jobs to Phoenix and to its headquarters in Illinois.

The News Tribune reports that the insurer made the announcement Thursday, citing reasons of efficiency.

About 1,400 people in total work at the two Tacoma sites. Of those, 600 jobs will be relocated to State Farm's office in nearby DuPont, where about 1,000 people already work. Another 250 jobs will be moved to the company's headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois, and about 150 jobs will go to Phoenix.

That means 400 workers won't have jobs and another 400 might lose them if they're not picked for transfers.

Denise Dyer, director for the Pierce County office of Economic Development, says it's going to be "a huge blow" to the local economy, even though she's pleased that 600 jobs will go to DuPont.

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Information from: The News Tribune, http://www.thenewstribune.com