Cleveland Residents Shocked as Company Closes, Leaving Many Unemployed Before Christmas

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – More than 100 workers in Cleveland will be out of work just two weeks before Christmas.

That’s because the International Paper Company announced that it is closing its doors for good.

Residents living nearby told us they were shocked to hear the news.

Help Raphael Rosario lives near the International Paper Company, where he has just applied for a job.

“I was trying to get something like a second shift or something, and people told me they were hiring people.”

If things had turned out differently, Rosário says he could have been the one who lost his job around Christmas.

According to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, International Paper Company has filed an official notice alerting the agency of its permanent closure.

According to this notice, employees will be away from work until December 16th.

Rosário says this is a sad trend he has noticed.

“I heard that a lot of companies are cutting people’s hours. Where I work, they are reducing hours, mainly because no one is buying anything.”

Other residents, like Daniel Velasquez, say the holiday season will make job hunting even more difficult.

“Trying to get a job is very difficult, especially now during the Christmas season.”

A statement we received from the International Paper Company says…

“Departing team members will receive severance packages, outplacement services and mental health resources.”

According to Rosário, those affected will still feel the loss at Christmas time.

“This is a place where a lot of people come to work. There are a lot of businesses and, if that happens, a lot of people will be out of work.”

Other residents told us off camera that they feel uncomfortable with the news, as the company has been a part of their community for years.