CRANBERRY TWP — More than 1,000 Verizon jobs here and in Warrendale will be lost by a company realignment, effective May 8.

Carolyn Schamberger, executive director of public relations in Verizon's Midwest Area, said Wednesday afternoon that the company wants to realign those positions to fill the thousands of empty seats in other call centers across the country.

To do so, the call center in the Cranberry Woods business park will be closed, and the jobs of all but 340 executive employees in two Warrendale facilities will be eliminated. The Warrendale building not housing those 340 employees will be closed.

Schamberger said 600 customer service employees from the Cranberry Woods facility, and 200 telesales employees as well as 230 business and government account support employees from the Warrendale facility were given the news Wednesday afternoon by company leaders in a series of meetings. The employees were given the remainder of the day off Wednesday after being told of the changes.

But Schamberger stressed the employees were not furloughed.

“This is not a layoff. This is not a headcount reduction,” Schamberger said. “These are highly trained and highly skilled employees, and we want them to stay.”

Call center employees handle questions from Verizon customers who call for assistance.

She said the 200 telesales employees in Warrendale are offered positions in Tampa, Fla.; Rancho Cordoba, Calif., or Orangeburg, N.Y. The 230 business and government account support employees are offered jobs in Hilliard, Ohio; Hanover, Md., or Alpharatta, Ga.

The remainder will have the opportunity to relocate to any of 22 other customer care centers across the United States or to fill positions in any Verizon retail store.

She said those who choose to relocate will receive $10,000 in moving expenses. Employees who want to visit another contact center to explore the area will be offered $500 to defray travel costs.

Those who do not relocate will be given severance packages. She did not share the details of the severance packages.

Schamberger said the company also will work with employees through job placement support, and will work with other employers in the area who are hiring.

“We want to do everything we can to support our employees through this transition,” she said.

The employees were told now, Schamberger said, so they will have three months to decide what they want to do.

“It's a difficult decision to have to make,” Schamberger said. “When told of the decision, our employees asked a lot of good questions and were professional throughout.”

Three other call centers elsewhere in the U.S. also are closing.

Employees arriving for work in the Cranberry Woods facility this morning would not answer questions about the change, and walked between two security vehicles as they approached the front door.

Kacie Boeshore of Allison Park, Allegheny County, said employees at the Cranberry Woods facility were completely shocked at the announcement, which was made to the various work teams in a series of meetings throughout the building.

“Nobody knew anything was happening,” Boeshore said, “not even the director of our center.”

She said her first reaction was devastation.

“I lost my job and thought this was a career for me,” Boeshore said. “I have a family at home.”

She was quick to stress that she enjoys her employment at Verizon, and that the company has helped her grow as a person during the four years since she was hired. Boeshore said Verizon has extended employee benefits until the severance package expires a few months after the closing, and will bring in resume experts in the near future.

“They really are doing everything they can to work with us,” Boeshore said. “You could see in the higher-ups' faces, they weren't happy (to make the announcement.)”

Boeshore said it's unlikely she'll relocate because of her husband and children.

Nicole Hunter of Ellwood City, Lawrence County, has worked at the Cranberry Woods call center for three years.

“Everyone at work is baffled,” Hunter said. “We never had a hint that this was coming down the road at all.”

Hunter is contemplating whether to accept the severance package or relocate. If she stays in the area, she said she will probably focus on finishing her college degree.

“I just feel blindsided, to be honest,” she said.

Like Boeshore, Hunter called Verizon “a great place to work,” and said she never thought a large call center like the Cranberry Woods facility was in danger of closing.

“Things happen, I guess,” Hunter said. “When one door closes, another is bound to open.”

The large building in Cranberry Woods leased by Verizon is one of several owned by Pittsburgh-based McKnight Cranberry, said Cranberry Township manager Jerry Andree.

He said it is one of the original buildings constructed in Cranberry Woods, which also has Westinghouse Electric's headquarters.

Schamberger did not know when the building's lease expires. She said the call center has been in Cranberry Woods for 10 years.

Andree said Wednesday that he's not necessarily surprised the call center is closing, if only for the fact that the company allegedly had a hard time getting people to work there.

Regardless, Andree said he is sad to see jobs leave the township, but he understands it is part of the “ebb and flow of business.”

Andree also called the area in Cranberry Woods a “premiere space” and said it likely won't remain vacant for long.

“We know the building there will be quickly gobbled up by another company,” he said. “Companies come and companies go, and we understand that. But we're sad to see them go.”

Bruce Mazzoni, chairman of the township supervisors, said Wednesday that it is disappointing when any jobs leave the area.

“But when 600 jobs leave, that is very disappointing,” Mazzoni said.

He added that he feels badly for the employees involved.

“We understand businesses need to adjust to the reality of the economy, and we hope the economy will improve in the near future, creating opportunity for additional employment,” he said.

Regarding the Warrendale facility, Becca Martin, president and CEO at the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber said she is sorry to see the closing of any buildings in her area.

“Anytime you lose jobs on that scale, it is impactful to the community,” Martin said. “It's unfortunate, but we do understand that the ebb and flow of business requires such heartbreaking decisions sometimes.”

She said she was glad to hear 340 employees in the Warrendale facility will remain.

“Every job is a good job,” Martin said. “We're lucky to be in the location we are for business growth and development. While it is impactful, it's not going to sink our economic base.”

Martin said the Chamber will be there for Verizon employees as the situation progresses.

“We have a lot of employment agencies, and a lot of networking opportunities,” Martin said.