Wal-Mart cuts 700 HQ jobs

Will boost NYC fashion office

By James Mammarella -- Home Textiles Today, 2/11/2009 7:57:00 AM

Bentonville, Ark. – Merchandising, marketing, real estate and support jobs here will be cut – between 700 and 800 here received their pink slips yesterday, as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. made reductions it said fit its strategic goals.

Wal-Mart spokesman David Tovar told HTT that the company was at the same time planning to increase the head count in the New York apparel and fashion office. Tovar said the retailer will shift more of “the buying and planning function from Bentonville to New York.” 

Linda Heffner remains as evp home. Tovar noted that the positions eliminated range from buyer up through most levels, but not into the vice president level. Walmart U.S., Sam’s Club, and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. corporate staff each took their share of position cuts. 

Tovar emphasized that Wal-Mart still will hire new employees “in the tens of thousands” during 2009 – the company added 33,800 jobs in the U.S. last year – and plans to open 125 to 140 new stores in the U.S., mainly supercenters. “Our store and club growth plans are still the same,” he told HTT.