| Advertisement |
|
|
Close to 800 people in Wichita will have to find new jobs later this year. The United States Post Office announced its closing the remote encoding center on south Oliver. The center will close sometime after September.
Of the nearly 800 employees, 417 are considered career employees. USPS says they will get other jobs with the postal service either in Wichita or the region.
380 non-career employees will receive counseling to assist them in finding new jobs. "The Postal Service is a responsible employer," added Lyons. "We will provide as much assistance as possible to the affected employees."
The USPS says the closure is because technology enhancements have made the need for the remote encoding centers virtually obsolete. The purpose of the centers is to automate and expedite the processing of handwritten and poorly printed addresses.
"The Remote Encoding Centers were planned as a temporary fix when they began in the mid-90s. They were created and deployed with the knowledge that new technology would eventually eliminate the need for them," said Dennis Lyons, USPS Wichita REC Manager.
The first Remote Encoding Center was established in Salt Lake City, UT, in 1994. This site will also be the last remaining REC in the country.