L.L. Bean to cut up to 75 jobs in second round of layoffs this year

Up to 3 percent of L.L. Bean’s Maine-based corporate staff will face a second round of layoffs this year, the company announced. 

About 50 to 75 people in the corporate departments at L.L. Bean, which is headquartered in Freeport, Maine where it was founded, will lose their jobs. In a statement, a spokesperson said some departures “will be voluntary” while other employees will receive severance and outplacement services.

“As the company continues to evaluate the fluctuating retail landscape and adapt our organizational design to enable long-term growth, we will implement a small, focused workforce reduction to better align resources with company goals and objectives,” the statement said. 

In April, L.L. Bean consolidated its call center hours from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Maine Public reported at the time. The company did not specify how many workers were affected, but said the “large majority” of the 500 call center employees would remain in their positions.

“Simply put, L.L.Bean customers shop differently today than in the past and we adapted to that,” the spokesperson said about the call center layoffs.

The recent layoffs will be finalized in March.

“Workforce reductions are always difficult and never a decision we make lightly,” the statement said. “We are committed to supporting those impacted with empathy, respect, and care just as we are committed to sustainable growth and building a strong future for our stakeholders.”

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.