Electronics retailer Best Buy Co. is laying off 600 staffers in its Geek Squad technical support division and 1,800, totaling about 1.4 percent of its 167,000 employees.
The company said that the Geek Squad positions that service appliances and televisions in customer's homes will be eliminated.
"They are receiving severance packages and job placement assistance," according to a statement from the company.
We are working to minimize the impact of the changes on employees while building the foundation for a strong future," said Greg Hitt, a Best Buy representative. Those affected will be eligible for severance and job-placement assistance.
The company said that they are not eliminating home service, just restructuring it to better serve customer's needs.
"We know that clients will always need us to come to their homes, and increasingly their needs are more complex. That's why we're evolving in-home support for a more specific customer segment," the statement added.
If laid off workers are unable to find another position within Best Buy, their last day will be Aug. 1, the statement said.
The cuts amount to about 1.4 percent of the company's total staff of 167,000.
Earlier this year in March, the company announced a restructuring aimed at improving results. At the time, the company said it would close 50 of its U.S. big box stores, cut 400 corporate jobs and trim $800 million in costs.
Meanwhile, the company, which has about 1,400 U.S. locations, planned to open 100 smaller and more profitable Best Buy Mobile stores throughout the country.
