A major Asian grocery store has decided to shut down one of its locations in the Inland Empire, and it’s happening right before the holiday rush.
The Chino branch of the largest Asian supermarket chain in the U.S. is set to close on November 15.
While Chino does have another 99 Ranch Market and an H Mart nearby, this closure is notable, especially as other grocery stores in California are also closing their doors.
The parent company, Tawa Supermarket, Inc., filed a WARN notice on October 26. This notice is part of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, which mandates that businesses must provide written notice at least 60 days in advance of mass layoffs or store closures.
As a result of this closure, 49 employees will be affected, as stated in the notice.
Interestingly, the notice filed earlier this week came just 20 days before the planned closure. If a company can’t meet the 60-day deadline, they must still file a WARN notice explaining the situation.
Headquartered in Buena Park, only about 30 miles from this Chino location, the supermarket chain has a strong presence with 66 stores across 11 states, 43 of which are in California.
This particular market was involved in a significant federal lawsuit this past summer, with allegations made by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The claims suggested that non-Chinese employees were given fewer work hours and overlooked for promotions compared to their Chinese counterparts.
Despite its Asian roots—founded by Taiwanese immigrant Roger Chen in 1984—the company cannot discriminate against employees solely based on their background, according to Catherine Eschbach, acting general counsel for the EEOC.
This layoff also aligns with other job cuts happening in the area, including a WARN notice from Myers Power Products, Inc., in Ontario affecting 206 workers. Additionally, eBay is reportedly planning layoffs impacting nearly 700 employees this year.
